Stalin goes on hunger strike to protest trust vote in TN Assembly, detained

Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly, MK Stalin was on Saturday detained at Marina beach in Chennai for starting a hunger strike, after Sasikala pick Edappadi Palanisamy won the trust vote in the state Assembly.

Stalin resorted to a hunger strike after meeting Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao earlier in the day. The DMK working president’s meeting with Rao happened even a vote of confidence took place in the Assembly, through open ballot, in which the Palanisamy camp won 122-11. While 122 AIADMK MLAs backed Palanisamy, 11, who are in the camp of former CM Panneerselvam, voted ‘no confidence’.

Stalin visited the Governor after alleging that he was "manhandled" by police personnel and marshals in the Tamil Nadu Assembly following ruckus, during which his shirt was also torn.

The DMK working president got out from his car outside the Secretariat and showed some media personnel his torn shirt, allegedly after being attacked by police and marshals at the assembly.

"As soon as the Assembly was adjourned till 1 pm, we all went inside the Speaker's (P Dhanapal) room and he shed crocodile tears saying his shirt was torn during the ruckus. I told him if it had occurred knowingly or unknowingly, I take responsibility and on behalf of DMK, extended my regrets to him," he said.

Stating that he requested Dhanapal to convene the session and ensure that secret ballot takes place as insisted by DMK, Stalin said "he (Dhanapal) did not accede to our demand".

"(Due to the ruckus) again the proceedings were adjourned till 3 pm. But around 500 police personnel, led by Additional Commissioner of Police Seshasayee entered the Assembly and manhandled us by hitting us with shoes," he said.