AIADMK walks out of TN Assembly over TASMAC issue

Chennai, April 7 (IANS) Tensions flared in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday as AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition, K. Palaniswami (EPS), led a walkout of party MLAs. The protest was triggered by Speaker M. Appavu’s refusal to allow a discussion during Zero Hour on a matter EPS deemed crucial to public interest. 

The Speaker maintained that the topic was sub judice and thus barred from Assembly debate.

However, Palaniswami, addressing reporters outside the House, claimed he sought to question the State Government over TASMAC’s recent legal maneuvering involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

According to EPS, TASMAC -- the State-run liquor retail chain -- had moved the Supreme Court seeking a transfer of ED-related cases away from the Madras High Court to another High Court in the country.

He alleged that this move raises serious concerns about transparency and the State Government’s intentions.

“The ED conducted raids on liquor distilleries supplying to TASMAC and unearthed suspected financial irregularities amounting to Rs 1,000 crore,” Palaniswami said.

“Following this, TASMAC filed multiple cases, including one challenging the ED’s actions and another claiming its staff were mistreated. They even sought an order from the Madras High Court to prevent further action by the ED.”

He further explained that after a two-judge bench of the Madras High Court recused itself from the matter, a new bench was constituted by the Chief Justice.

TASMAC, however, reportedly moved the Supreme Court soon after, expressing unwillingness to let this new bench hear the case and seeking to have all ED-related matters shifted out of the State.

“This isn’t a personal issue. TASMAC is a government body. The people deserve to know why the State is trying to shift such sensitive cases away from Tamil Nadu,” he said.

“When I was Chief Minister and faced legal challenges in the Madras High Court, I stood my ground. We never tried to move the case elsewhere.”

EPS also questioned whether the motive behind TASMAC’s Supreme Court plea was to avoid media scrutiny. “If the case is heard outside Tamil Nadu, local media will find it harder to report on it in detail. Is the government afraid of public exposure?” he asked.

Reiterating that his attempt to raise this matter was within his duty as Opposition Leader, Palaniswami criticised the Speaker’s decision as stifling discussion on an issue of significant public concern.