Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is facing criticism from the DMK-led Opposition and some of his own allies over a gesture during his response to questions in the assembly, with even partner CPM accusing him of “body-shaming” former chief minister MK Stalin and trivialising the history of arrests during the 1975-77 Emergency.
And today Chief Minister Vijay’s speech touched the lowest of lows,” she said. Tamil Nadu CPM state secretary Shanmugam, whose party is supporting Vijay’s TVK government from outside, also criticised the chief minister. “MK Stalin suffered a fractured jaw in a police assault during the Emergency. She also questioned Vijay’s response in general to criticism in the assembly. “When questions are raised in the assembly, they should answer. They are in power. But they don’t understand. They mock, thinking levelling allegations against others is legislative activity. The MISA controversy also reverberated on the floor of the House, with Law Minister Nirmal Kumar defending the government’s position while responding to the debate. The DMK urged the Speaker to expunge Vijay’s remarks, arguing that the House has a convention of not discussing matters that are under investigation or consideration by the courts. Why hasn’t he talked about those but only on Sarkaria Commission?
The party also said there is a convention of avoiding references to people who are no longer alive and therefore cannot defend themselves against allegations made on the floor of the House. The Sarkaria Commission had inquired into corruption allegations against the then ruling DMK government in 1976.
The chief minister’s body-shaming is irresponsible,” Shanmugam said. But CPM’s Shanmugam also questioned why Vijay had chosen to focus on the Sarkaria Commission when he has said he has files on corruption during the DMK government that was voted out in May. “The Chief Minister had said he has three files on his table and challenged. It’s diversionary,” Shanmugam said.
