Ruling AIADMK and its arch rival DMK today sparred in the Tamil Nadu Assembly over claiming credit for providing reservation for women in panchayat bodies while Congress said it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who first conceptualised the 33 per cent quota.
When DMK member Geetha Jeevan made some reference to the 33 per cent rerservation for women in local bodies, senior AIADMK Ministers including D Jayakumar insisted that the law was implemented in the state during the 1991-96 AIADMK regime.
Jayakumar said the AIADMK government headed by J Jayalalithaa had given the cabinet approval for 33 per cent reservation for women.
Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin (DMK) said though this was true, it was the Karunanidhi-led DMK government which implemented the reservation in 1996.
To this, Local Administration Minister S P Velumani said DMK conducting the elections was only a 'routine process' since the earlier AIADMK government had accorded the cabinet approval.
He went on to add that the previous AIADMK government (2011-16) had even enhanced the reservation to 50 per cent for women in local bodies.
Stalin once again questioned the government why it did not hold elections although cabinet approval was given for 33 per cent reservation.
"You may have given cabinet approval. But it was the DMK which held the elections for local bodies with 33 per cent reservation," he said.
To this, Jayakumar remarked that "we cooked the meals nicely, you consumed it," drawing peels of laughter among the Treasury benches.
Congress Floor Leader K R Ramasamy intervened saying it was Rajiv Gandhi who originally mooted the proposal.
"Both (sides) have to accept one thing. Rajiv Gandhi only brought the Panchayati Raj law (which allows the 33 per cent reservation)," he said.
After this, Social Welfare Minister V Saroja said that Jayalalithaa had "sowed the seed" for providing reservation for women in local bodies in Tamil Nadu, since her government had given the cabinet approval in 1994.
The sparring took place during the debate for grants for the Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme Departments.
(REOPENS MES4)
The archrivals once again locked horns when Revenue
Minister R B Uthayakumar made some critical comments against the DMK in regularising encroachments, especially on water bodies.
His remark drew sharp reaction from the opposition even as he questioned why the DMK government of 2006-11 had revised a one time regularisation scheme ten times.
During the debate, DMK member and former Minister I Periasamy also made some critical remarks against the government's handling of the December 2015 deluge in Chennai.
To this, PWD Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy said that the flooding was caused only due to the city receiving about 50 cm of rainfall in a single day, and denied any lapse on part of the government.
