Members of the Opposition and ruling parties in the Assembly nearly came to blows during the discussion on the demand for grants for the Labour Department on Tuesday, following an ‘unparliamentary’ usage made by R. Selvaraj of the ruling party, which was deemed to be derogatory to the women members of the House.
Though the Speaker immediately declared that he was expunging the offensive remarks from the House records, the entire Opposition rushed to the well of the House, shouting angrily, while the MLAs of the ruling front also were up on their feet.
R. Selvaraj, who began speaking in support of the government’s demand for grants, digressed to the unruly incidents which had occurred in the Assembly on Budget day and made a remark about the physical tussle between women MLAs in the Opposition and other members.
K. K. Lathika immediately got up to protest loudly that the remark was offensive to all women MLAs, especially when they had already put up a complaint before the Speaker and filed a case about the physical harassment they had been subjected to in the House on Budget day.
As the war of words continued, Mr. Selvaraj, shouted at Ms. Lathika to sit down, using a local parlance.
For a moment, even those in the ruling benches seemed aghast but as Mr. Selvaraj continued his speech, the entire Opposition was up in arms, shouting wildly and rushing to the Speaker to complain
The Speaker’s appeal to maintain calm was not heeded by the Opposition, who walked en masse to the ruling benches, raising their voices. The Speaker declared that he was adjourning the House for a short while.
