TN Assembly sees heated exchanges between AIADMK, DMK members

Arch rivals ruling AIADMK and DMK today sparred in the Tamil Nadu Assembly over different issues, with the opposition party seeking a debate on the Sri Lankan Tamils problem.
The House saw angry exchange of words between the Treasury and Opposition benches after AIADMK member P Vetrivel made some remarks against DMK and Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin.
He also dragged in the issue of ceding Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka, which was objected by DMK.
Leader of the House O Panneerselvam said Vetrivel can raise the issue following which Deputy Leader of DMK Legislature Party Durai Murugan made a demand that the issue be debated separately.

"We are ready for a debate on Sri Lankan Tamils issue," he said and urged that Vetrivel, who was speaking on the motion to thank the Governor for his address to the Assembly, to stick to it.
Later, Vetrivel criticised DMK for "allowing" the coal-bed methane extraction project on Cauvery river bed, a sensitive issue that figured during the recent polls also, but the opposition party denied it had given approval.

Stalin said his party-led government had only signed memorandum of understanding but not approved the project.
Electricity Minister P Thangamani, who had the industries portfolio in the previous AIADMK regime, refuted this and said the DMK government had issued a "go" in this regard which amounted to approval.

Only the Jayalalithaa-led government withdrew the project as it was "anti-people," he said.
The House also saw some noisy scenes, once when AIADMK member Thanga Tamil Selvan made some remarks against DMK President M Karunanidhi while Mano Thangaraj of DMK later targeted Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.