AIADMK walks out over Jaya varsity Bill
AIADMK MLAs on Tuesday walked out of the Assembly when the government introduced the Bill to repeal Dr J Jayalalithaa University Act. It was eventually passed by the House.
State Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi introduced the Bill to amend the Annamalai University Act, 2013, Bharathidasan University Act, 1981 and to repeal Dr J Jayalalithaa University Act, 2021, in the Assembly. Immediately, former higher education minister KP Anbalagan informed the House that AIADMK opposed the Bill. When Speaker M Appavu asked Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran to move the demand for grants for the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, all the AIADMK MLAs raised and shouted slogans against the Bill. The Speaker said that he has registered their opposition for the Bill and so they can sit but they refused and walked out of the Assembly following which they staged road roko in front of the Kalaivanar Assembly in Walajah Road. Following the protest, police took the protesting AIADMK MLAs under custody.
Meanwhile, BJP also opposed the Bill, but stayed inside the House. However, PMK did not raise any opposition even when Duraimurugan asked their stand and raised the question whether they wanted to walk out of the Assembly. To that PMK MLAs said “no.”
The Bill was passed with majority of members supporting it. Speaking on the Bill, BJP legislature party leader Nainar Nagendran said, “Though we understand the good intention behind the Bill, we oppose it because of the removal of the name of the former chief minister.” Seizing the opportunity, Congress legislature party leader Selvaperunthagai said “if you (BJP) are opposed to removing the name of a former chief minister, why change the name of Rajiv Khel Ratna award.”
Ponmudi, in his reply, listed out the various instances when the name of former chief minister M Karunanidhi was removed during the AIADMK regime. The Higher Education Minister said the former minister (CVe Shanmugham) who named a lake as Amma Lake was criticizing them. “If we had just changed the name of the university like he advised, they would still criticize us,” he told the House, asking all members present in the House to look at the sincere intent of the government and support the Bill.