Stalin, EPS, OPS cross swords over July 2022 AIADMK headquarters violence

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and former chief minister O Panneerselvam engaged in a high-decibel exchange in the State Assembly over the violence witnessed in the AIADMK headquarters in July 2022.

Participating in the debate on demand for grants for the Home Department in the State Assembly, senior AIADMK MLA Pollachi V Jayaraman set the tone for the debate by alleging that the violence at the party headquarters last year could have been averted but for the inaction of the police on their complaint.

Chief Minister M K Stalin asked the member to produce evidence for his allegation and said that the police could only give protection to incidents outside and not for intra-party affairs.

As Speaker M Appavu sought to intervene, LoP Palaniswami rushed to his MLAs defence and said that they had anticipated such violence and approached the city police much ahead of the incident and sought police protection for the party headquarters.

He also added that the AIADMK regime of the distant past had offered protection when there was a split in the DMK.

Responding to the criticism, the CM said that the members of the DMK did not hit each other inside the party office.

Joining the issue, O Panneerselvam said that the 'painful' incident happened when he went to the party headquarters.

Alleging that a kilometre ahead of the party office, about 300 persons squatting on the road had pelted stones at them and unleashed violence then. "I am ready to hold a public meeting and speak on the issue. Why were eight district secretaries present at the party headquarters when the party general council was meeting elsewhere? The people of the state must know who unleashed the violence," OPS added.

Responding to his charge, EPS said that the court had already delivered its order and the people of the State were aware as to who unleashed violence and stole things from the AIADMK party office. Clarifying on the issue, chief minister Stalin said that the city police acted in accordance with the law and the Royapettah police had arrested 14 persons in connection with the incident. The Chief Minister added that the charges levelled by the LoP were contrary to the facts.