An issue over the painting of pictures of leaves on the newly launched small buses rocked Tamil Nadu Assembly today with DMK alleging it represented the ruling AIADMK's symbol, a charge rejected by the government.
The issue was raised outside the Assembly too with the DMK's legal wing serving notices to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and others besides petitioning the Election Commission (EC) seeking to derecognise AIADMK for allegedly violating model code of conduct in force for the December 4 Yercaud Assembly bypoll.
The DMK has also sent the complaints to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the state's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption demanding action for alleged misuse of public funds to further the poll prospects of the ruling party.
In the Assembly, DMK members sought to raise the issue and some remarks of Municipal Administration Minister K P Munusamy against DMK member E V Velu, a former AIADMK man, led to vociferous exchange of words between the two sides.
Speaker P Dhanapal ordered that none of the remarks made by DMK members will go on record, even as opposition MLAs were up on their feet seeking permission to raise the issue.
Suddenly, DMK members S S Sivasankaran, Soundarapandian and Dravida Mani rushed towards the Speaker's podium and squatted before the chair.
With his repeated pleas to return to their seats going unheeded, Dhanapal ordered the trio's eviction from the House.
Later, Transport minister K T Senthil Balaji denied DMK's contention that the leaves symbol on the small buses were representative of ruling AIADMK's symbol, the "Two Leaves".
Leaves were printed on the sides of the buses to promote the concept of greenery, he said and accused the DMK of making an issue as they were unable to accept the popularity of the AIADMK Government's initiative.
DMK legal wing's notice was also sent to the state Transport minister, Chief Secretary Sheela Balaakrishnan and Managing Director of Metropolitan Transport Corporation among others.
The complaint stated that the AIADMK with calculative and scientific motive has painted its "Two Leaves" symbol on 50 mini-buss launched on October 23 and also on some 610 buses.
