Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition AIADMK’s no-confidence motion on Monday seeking to remove assembly speaker M Appavu was defeated, with 154 MLAs from the ruling DMK and its allies including the Congress against it in a voice vote. AIADMK’s 63 MLAs supported it. The BJP and its ally PMK skipped both the discussion on the resolution and the voting process.
The AIADMK had moved the resolution charging that the speaker is biased and “acting like a DMK worker” inside the House and wanted him removed from the position. Chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin reacted that people would “laugh” at such a resolution.
But even the AIADMK leaders who were expelled by party chief and leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) –O Panneerselvam (OPS) R Vaithilingam, Manoj Pandian—supported the resolution. EPS listed various instances where he said the Speaker had acted partially such as not allowing opposition MLAs to complete their speeches.
“Is this democracy?” EPS asked. “The House is for discussing people’s issues. The Speaker is posing an obstacle to speak on the failures of the ruling party and people’s problems. On whose command is he acting?” EPS also accused the Speaker of blacking out opposition members in recording of House proceedings by not showing them when they were wearing blackshirts.
“The speaker has always been impartial,” Stalin said. “He has given opportunities to opposition members generously. He acts without our government or party’s influence… We must not debate if this resolution is to divert attention from confusion within the AIADMK, or if this resolution is taken up by them as there is nothing to find fault with the government. Let others outside debate it.”
{{/usCountry}}“The speaker has always been impartial,” Stalin said. “He has given opportunities to opposition members generously. He acts without our government or party’s influence… We must not debate if this resolution is to divert attention from confusion within the AIADMK, or if this resolution is taken up by them as there is nothing to find fault with the government. Let others outside debate it.”
{{/usCountry}}After the discussion, deputy speaker K Pitchandi conducted a voice vote and declared that AIADMK’s resolution was defeated. Following the announcement, the speaker resumed his position on the chair. “I am more happy on this day than when I was elected as the speaker,” Appavu said. “I have always maintained impartiality while performing his duties in the House.”