Speaker Appavu acts like DMK spokesperson: D Jayakumar

CHENNAI: Organising secretary of the AIADMK D Jayakumar on Thursday strongly condemned Speaker M Appavu for passing politically loaded remarks inside the assembly and said he acted like "DMK spokesperson" to please Chief Minister MK Stalin to get a ministerial berth.

Jayakumar, in a statement, said the Speaker made a remark that AIADMK split into four factions and what would happen if the Union government facilitates their reunion.

The Speaker made these remarks during the commotion that unfolded after Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami raised the issue related to the seat arrangement to the deputy LoP R B Udhayakumar in place of O Panneerselvam.

"The Speaker is common for everyone in the assembly. But he forgot his position (the Speaker) and spoke like the DMK's spokesperson," Jayakumar said and noted the act of the Speaker irked the people's belief in democracy.

Jayakumar continued in the same vein and slammed Appavu for acting in a "biased manner" and "overstepping his role and violating his responsibilities" that was against the tradition of the assembly.

Jayakunar also charged that the Speaker has not been allowing the ministers to respond to the queries and issues raised by the legislators. This denies the legislators from getting appropriate response from the respective ministers on schemes and projects.

"If the Speaker continues to act in such a manner, he will earn a bad reputation for belittling the position of Speaker that was held by many statesmen and destroying the democratic principles in the history of Tamil Nadu assembly," he said.