In a fast-paced sequence of events which have now culminated at the Marina in Chennai, the DMK , on Saturday, protested at the TN Assembly against the Trust Vote for Edappadi Palaniswami, and were forcibly evicted out of the Assembly by marshals. Some DMK MLAs were also seen manhandling the Speaker before the Trust Vote.
After the Assembly convened for the session at 11am, the DMK MLAs presented two options to the Speaker as demands – either have the vote at a later date after the AIADMK MLAs have had a chance to listen to the voice of the people, or conduct the vote immediately through a secret ballot so that MLAs could vote according to their conscience, without fear of adverse consequences. But the Speaker did not accept their demands.
What then ensued was high drama on the floor of the House. According to the journalists inside the Assembly, and the footage released by Jaya TV, members of the DMK gheraoed the Speaker asking that he accept their demands. The MLAs were also seen forcibly holding the Speaker back and manhandling him.
The result was that the Assembly was adjourned, first to 1pm, and later to 3pm. Later, the Speaker presented himself with a torn shirt, alleging that he was manhandled.
Two MLAs were also seen sitting on the Speaker’s chair after he had left the floor. The Speaker then ordered the marshals to evict the DMK MLAs
A few minutes after 2pm, the MLAs of the DMK were forcibly evicted.
Stalin then emerged with a torn shirt, looking roughed up. He told the media that they were forcibly removed, undemocratically.
DMK MLA TRB Rajaa spoke to TNM, "We were protesting democratically, but the Speaker refused to listen to our demands."
“We did not assault the Speaker, we only asked him to stay back. He tore his shirt himself and put the blame on us,” Rajaa and Stalin said.
"MK Stalin apologized to the Speaker for any misbehavior on the part of the DMK, but he did not listen to us,” Rajaa added. He asked, “The police came into the Assembly corridors. How can they come inside?”
“The marshals and police physically assaulted us, hit us with their boots, tore our shirt and evicted us,” Stalin said.
O Panneerselvam also said after the session that DMK MLAs were manhandled.
MK Stalin then went to meet TN Governor, still wearing his torn shirt and accompanied by his MLAs. He then left to start a protest-fast at Marina beach, near the Gandhi statue.
Soon after the protest at Marina began, however, Stalin was detained by the police. Meanwhile, protests by DMK cadres and sympathisers erupted in various parts of Tamil Nadu, with minor violence reported in some parts.