Sparks fly over L&O, other issues

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu assembly on Thursday witnessed animated and heated arguments for nearly two hours over the anti-Sterilite protest, Kodanad heist-cum-murder case and law and order issues in the state.

Participating in a debate on demand for grants for the Home, Prohibition and Excise department, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami said the police department was functioning with freedom under the AIADMK regime and the law and order was intact. However, the situation has deteriorated under the DMK regime and the crime is on the rise.

Citing the policy book, EPS said it was mentioned that as many as 1,597 murders took place in 2020 in the State. Same number of murders recorded in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

“I wondered how the same number of murders were recorded in three consecutive years?” he asked.

“There was no safety for police personnel now,” said EPS and pointed out murders that took place near Court complex in Coimbatore and ATM loots.

Intervening the LoP, CM Stalin took a dig at EPS by recalling latter’s remark that he came to know about the police firing on anti-Sterlite protestors through a news channel. This triggered a heated argument between EPS and the CM, while Ministers pitched in.

EPS blamed the DMK government for Sterlite issue and said that the people have been protesting against the industry for 20 years. The CM retorted that it was former CM Jayalalithaa who gave permission for the expansion of the industry. The arguments turned into a war of words touching upon various instances of the past too.