The Tamil Nadu Assembly, which has suspended en masse all the AIADMK members until the current session ends next Monday, on Friday extended the suspension of one of them till the first ten days of the next session for “bringing disrepute” to the House by snatching a cap from the watch and ward staff and hurling it at the Speaker.

A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed by a House devoid of Opposition with the AIADMK members having been suspended and members of the Marumalarchi DMK and lone DMDK legislator Vijayakanth staying away.

Leader of the House K Anbazhagan moved the resolution seeking to suspend A K Bose, representing Thiruparakundram constituency, till the first 10 days of the next session for Thursday’s incident in the House.

During this period, he will not be entitled to any of the privileges, including the salary accorded to an MLA.
 Mr Anbazhagan said the member snatched a cap from a watch and ward staff and hurled it at the Speaker R Avudaiappan, thus lowering the dignity of the Chair and the House.

Mild punishment

Though members of the Congress, the PMK and other allies of the ruling DMK demanded the disqualification of the member, the House opted for the milder punishment at the suggestion of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The Chief Minister recalled the disqualification of 10 DMK legislators during the AIADMK rule in 1986 for burning copies of the Constitution during a state-wide agitation and the summoning of Murasoli editor Selvam to the bar of the House for alleged breach of privilege.

He said he did not want to follow such harsh precedents and felt ends of justice would be met if a milder punishment was meted out to the member who assaulted the Speaker.

The incident happened when AIADMK members, agitated over the privilege issue raised against party general secretary and Leader of the Opposition J Jayalalitha by Local Administration Minister M K Stalin on Thursday, rushed to the well of the House, had heated exchanges with the Speaker and sat in a dharna. Following this, they were evicted en masse and suspended till the end of the session on Monday.