DMK submits petition to Speaker

NEW DELHI: DMK leader Ethirajulu Vajjaravelu on Tuesday said the party had submitted a petition to the Speaker seeking breach of privilege action against Law Minister Nirmal Kumar over statements he made in the Legislative Assembly about leaders who were not present in the House.“We had submitted a petition to the Speaker seeking breach of privilege action against Law Minister Nirmal Kumar, as he made statements in the Legislative Assembly containing false information about leaders who were not present in the House,” Vajjaravelu said.He said discussing people who were absent from the House or making allegations against them was against the rules and conventions of the Legislative Assembly.“Discussing persons who are not present in the House or making allegations against them is against the rules and conventions of the Legislative Assembly…We have urged the Speaker to take appropriate action in the matter…,” he added.Earlier last week, the DMK staged protests across the state, condemning Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over his alleged “scurrilous remarks” targeting late party patriarch M Karunanidhi and party president M K Stalin.The party had earlier described Vijay’s Assembly speech as strongly condemnable, alleging that it trivialised Karunanidhi, late Union minister Murasoli Maran, the DMK and Stalin’s sacrifices.Vijay had targeted the DMK in the Assembly on September 7, alleging serious and organised corruption during its previous regimes.He cited the Sarkaria Commission report in his criticism of the DMK government led by late chief minister M Karunanidhi several decades ago, and also referred to late Union minister Murasoli Maran in this context.Vijay also cited official documents from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shared with the state government over alleged corruption during the DMK’s 2021-26 tenure, naming then chief minister M K Stalin and his deputy Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Nirmal Kumar disputed the DMK’s long-standing claim that Stalin was detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency.Kumar said there was no official record indicating that Stalin’s detention was under MISA and claimed he was arrested over remarks concerning late prime minister Indira Gandhi and her 20-point programme, announced after the Emergency was declared by the then Congress-led government at the Centre.On Saturday, Kumar challenged Stalin to produce his official detention order, reiterating his claim that the former chief minister had not been imprisoned under MISA during the Emergency.