DMK, AIADMK members stage walkout from council meeting

The Tiruchi Corporation council meeting on Tuesday was adjourned after DMK and AIADMK councillors staged a walkout in protest against the alleged apathy of officials towards elected representatives.
The DMK members, who came attired in black, were vociferous from the start of the meeting.
As soon as the meeting began, Mr. Anbazhagan, who too belongs to the DMK, said that no development works had taken place during the last four months. There was no cooperation from officials, and several ongoing works could not be completed. No new works had begun, and elected members, irrespective of political affiliation, were directly answerable to the people.
T. Muthuselvam, DMK councillor of Ward 57, said that Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment S. Ramesh visited Tiruchi Corporation recently and held a meeting with officials. No elected members of the council were informed about the review meeting. It was conducted without the knowledge of the Mayor. It had set a bad precedent and offended the elected members. The DMK councillors would walk out in protest.
V. Ramadoss, DMK councillor from Ward 55, said a sum of ₹6 crore, which was allotted for digging bore wells to ensure regular water supply to residents from the head works in the Cauvery, had been returned to the Government. The elected body was not consulted.
While asking the DMK councillors to desist from walking out, Mr. Anbazhagan said they could speak one after another to register their opinion on the issue. However, the DMK councillors staged a walk out. The Mayor later asked the councillors to return to the meeting so as to discuss the subjects circulated to them. However, they refused to return.
Objecting to the Mayor’s request to return to the meeting, K. Ambikapathy, AIADMK member from Ward 60, said that only a few members were in the hall and there was no quorum to continue. Hence, the meeting should be adjourned. There was no point in conducting the meeting when their voices were not heard.
Following this, three AIADMK members also walked out of the council. However, Congress, CPI and CPI(M) members remained seated.
A few minutes later, the DMK members returned to the council hall and objected to the Mayor continuing the meeting. Following this, Mr. Anbazhagan adjourned the meeting.
Earlier, N, Prabakaran, VCK member, staged a walk out, protesting against the reported replacement of B.R. Ambedkar’s portrait in the council hall in Ripon Buildings, Chennai.