Rajiv issue: Pondy Speaker refuses resolution

PUDUCHERRY: Legislators belonging to the DMK and AIADMK today staged a walkout during Zero Hour in the Puducherry Assembly after the Speaker refused them permission to raise in the House the issue of the three Rajiv Gandhi death row convicts.The DMK and AIADMK legislators had wanted a resolution to be passed in the Assembly similar to the one passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly asking the President to reconsider rejection of the mercy petitions of the three convicts.The Speaker, V Sabapathy, disallowed legislators to raise the issue, calling it "sub-judice".The two DMK legislators were the first to stage a walkout, shortly followed by the five AIADMK legislators.As soon as the DMK legislature party leader in the opposition, A M H Nazeem, made a plea for adoption of a resolution on the issue, the Speaker intervened and told him that the matter was now sub-judice and the member should not not make any comments or remarks.The Speaker also ordered expunged whatever remarks the member had made, resulting in the walkout of the two DMK legislators.AIADMK legislators, headed by A Anbalagan, who were already on their feet attempted to urge the government to bring in a resolution similar to the one passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The Speaker reiterated that the matter the member sought to refer to was sub-judice and should not be discussed or raised in the Assembly. Anbalagan along with his colleagues squatted in the Well of the House to assert their demand.When the Speaker refused to grant them permission to raise the issue, all the five AIADMK legislators staged a walkout.The Speaker repeated that whatever Anbalagan spoke with reference to the subject for which he sought a resolution stood expunged.Later, Anbalagan told reporters that he had also sought a resolution to urge the Centre to impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka in view of its alleged war crimes against Lankan Tamils.