Vijay and Udhayanidhi clash over law-and-order debate in assembly
A political exchange between Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin intensified during Thursday’s Assembly proceedings, with the two trading remarks over when Vijay would respond to the Opposition’s allegations.
During a debate on law and order, Vijay told the House that he would give a detailed, point-by-point response on Monday. He also urged Opposition members not to leave before hearing his reply.
Udhayanidhi turned the remark back on the Chief Minister, arguing that Vijay had several days to prepare his response but had himself left the Assembly after making the statement.
Earlier, Udhayanidhi had urged the treasury benches to ensure that Vijay was properly prepared for his response. When the Speaker said the Chief Minister was following the proceedings closely, Udhayanidhi questioned why Vijay could not answer immediately if he was ready.
The Opposition leader also targeted the government over its law-and-order record, raising concerns about alleged increases in crimes and Pocso cases. He referred to steps taken by the previous DMK government, including special committees and standard operating procedures intended to assist victims and speed up the justice process.
Udhayanidhi also questioned the government’s criticism of the previous administration’s efforts against drug-related offences. He argued that the current government had promoted senior police officers who had held responsibilities connected with drug-control operations during the DMK regime.
He further raised issues surrounding protests and student movements, including demonstrations against NEET, and alleged political interference in the handling of dissent.
Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna responded by attacking the DMK’s own law-and-order record. He referred to crime figures contained in policy documents from the previous government and accused the earlier administration of withholding or concealing certain statistics.
Arjuna maintained that the present government was taking a more transparent approach to crime reporting. His comments triggered protests from Opposition members, with the minister saying the DMK was concerned about the facts being brought before the House. The Opposition subsequently pressed Vijay to personally provide a comprehensive response on the issues raised.