The entire Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly was on Friday evicted en masse, following uproar over the lawyer-police clash in the Madras High Court, even as the ruling Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam government sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the violence.
Speaker R Avudiyappan ordered the eviction of members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India - Marxist as they demanded a debate on Thursday's violent clash, after Law Minister Durai Murugan made a statement under Rule 110, which makes no provision for a discussion.
Making the statement following a call attention motion by the opposition parties as well as the Congress, Durai Murugan said the state government would send a formal communication to the CBI for a probe into the violence.
Describing the incident as an unwanted one, he said an unbiased inquiry into the chain of events that culminated in the clashes should be made and hence the CBI was being asked to probe the events.
The House witnessed noisy scenes as the entire opposition members were on their feet and shouted slogans after the Speaker rejected demands for a discussion on the clashes.
The opposition, headed by the AIADMK, and supported by its allies, created a ruckus following which the Speaker warned them of eviction.
As the members continued to raise vociferous slogans demanding a debate on the issue even after the Speaker's repeated requests, he ordered their eviction.
Referring to the attack on Janata Party president Subramainan Swamy inside a court premises on February 17, Durai Murugan said Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had conveyed his regrets to Swamy over the incident through the Inspector General (Intelligence) and assured him that appropriate action will be taken.
Karunanidhi is convalescing at a hospital after a spine surgery.