Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Tiruchi DMK councillors gherao Charubala

By S. Ganesan

TIRUCHI DEC. 31. A group of DMK councillors today gheraoed the Tiruchi Mayor, Charubala R. Tondaiman (Congress), inside the Corporation Council hall. The Mayor, who adjourned the meeting following a stand-off with one of the DMK councillors, and the Corporation Commissioner, were prevented from leaving the hall for nearly 15 minutes.

The trouble began soon after the question hour when S. Selvam accused the Mayor of dithering over inclusion of a work in his ward under the National Slum Development programme and flaunted an audiocassette purportedly containing a conversation between the two on the issue.

Taking strong exception to his recording the conversation on the sly, an annoyed Mrs. Tondaiman adjourned the House after declaring all subjects in the agenda passed. As she and the Commissioner, R. Venkatesan, were leaving the hall, a section of the DMK councillors, led by Mr. Selvam, rushed to block their exit.

Chaotic scenes prevailed as the AIADMK councillors went to the rescue of the Mayor and engaged in heated arguments with the DMK men. Some of the councillors pushed one another around. The DMK councillors raised slogans decrying the "autocratic" behaviour of the Mayor. A couple of police officers, who attempted to intervene, were forced to retrace their steps as the DMK councillors vociferously objected to their entering the hall.

Pandemonium prevailed as the attempts made by some senior DMK councillors to pacify their colleagues failed. The Deputy Mayor, M. Anbazhagan (DMK), was also seen arguing with the Mayor.

A reluctant Mayor was ultimately persuaded by the senior DMK and AIADMK councillors to declare that the Council would assemble again after 10 minutes.

The Council reassembled, after prolonged discussions at the Mayor's chamber, when Mr. Selvam expressed regret for his action. It decided to refer the resolution to the ward committee before taking a final decision.

Later speaking to mediapersons, Mrs. Tondaiman accused Mr. Selvam of committing a "breach of privilege" by recording the conversation that took place at her chamber. Though she said the issue would be treated as closed, she, however, replied in the affirmative when asked whether she would report the matter to the Government.

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