AIADMK Stages Dramatic Walkout from Tamil Nadu Assembly Over Poultry Farmers' Issue
In a significant political development in Chennai, the AIADMK, led by its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), staged a dramatic walkout from the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Thursday. The walkout was prompted by the alleged denial of permission to raise critical issues concerning the welfare of poultry farmers in the state.
Speaker Denies Permission for Call Attention Motion
The controversy erupted when EPS sought approval from Assembly Speaker M Appavu to move a call attention motion. The motion aimed to highlight the livelihood challenges faced by poultry farmers in key districts such as Erode, Namakkal, and neighbouring areas. However, Speaker Appavu declined the request, citing procedural rules.
He explained that a total of 15 members of the House had filed notices for a call attention motion on the same issue. According to the speaker, permitting a single individual to raise the matter would unfairly deny others the opportunity. Additionally, he emphasized that the concerned department minister needed adequate time to gather information from officials to provide a comprehensive reply.
AIADMK's Objections and Government's Response
AIADMK members strongly objected to the denial of permission, leading to heated exchanges in the assembly. Intervening in the matter, Chief Minister M K Stalin assured that the government would respond to the call attention motion but required time to prepare a detailed response. Speaker Appavu suggested that the issue could be taken up the following day.
Despite these assurances, AIADMK legislators continued to raise slogans and create commotion, which lasted for nearly 10 minutes. Ultimately, EPS and the AIADMK MLAs decided to stage a walkout in protest, marking a visible display of dissent.
Post-Walkout Reactions and Allegations
Following the walkout, PWD Minister E V Velu criticized the opposition members, accusing them of being aware of assembly procedures yet wasting the assembly's time. Outside the assembly, EPS addressed reporters, expressing frustration over the denial of opportunity to discharge their duty as the principal opposition party.
He highlighted that the issue directly impacts the livelihoods of approximately 40,000 poultry farmers and five lakh workers. EPS alleged that the government was acting in favour of corporates and showed unwillingness to address the pressing concerns of farmers. This incident underscores the ongoing tensions between the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.
