Tamil Nadu CM Vijay tells ‘kutty story’ in Assembly; Udhayanidhi says House turned into a cinema

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin sparred with each other on Tuesday over a “short story”, a cool pose and some remarks made by Mr. Vijay during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s address in the Assembly.

In his reply to the House of Representatives, Mr. Vijay told a “kutty (short) story”, a style he often used during his audio launch as an actor and at public meetings as TVK chairman.

“In one village, an old man was walking around with his hand over his eyes because the sunlight was too bright. He was looking for someone. A little boy who was with him at the time asked him who he was looking for. The old man said that he was looking for the boy’s father as he was told that he (the father) would be there, but he could not find him anywhere,” Mr. Vijay said.

The Prime Minister said that he too knows how to speak sarcastically and sarcastically. “Nobody here in the House needs to be nervous. That’s what the old man said in the story,” he said.

Although the Prime Minister did not name anyone from the Opposition parties in his story and DMK members were not present in the Assembly when he made these remarks, his comments were widely interpreted as a reference to former Prime Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin’s defeat in the Kolathur Assembly constituency.

As Mr. Vijay finished his speech, he made a hand gesture that resembled a cool pose. Before making the gesture, he asked the Speaker if he could perform an “action.”

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly later, Mr. Udhayanidhi said DMK legislators listened silently as the Prime Minister spoke in a “cinematic style”.

However, Mr. Udhayanidhi added that the Prime Minister had made some statements that were contrary to facts.

The Opposition Leader said, “He came with a prepared script. He spoke as if he would not answer the questions until he finished reading the script he had prepared, and no one should say ‘cut’ while the shooting was continuing.”

The Prime Minister must answer the questions asked by the public. He claimed that blaming DMK for everything has become a routine.

He said that when the portrait of former Prime Minister M. Karunanidhi was unveiled in the Parliament, the President also attended the event.

“There is a protocol for the Presidency, while the Governor has no such protocol,” Mr. Udhayanidhi said while replying to a question on Mr. Vijay’s statement that the National Anthem was sung twice on that occasion during the DMK regime.

Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged that the Chief Minister had belittled the farmers’ agitation by claiming that it was instigated by the DMK. He also questioned the logic behind the Prime Minister’s meeting with a section of ‘rebel’ AIADMK legislators and leaders before the confidence vote. “First a sofa went there, and then Mr. Vijay went there. Now, [AIADMK] “Deputies resign one by one and join TVK,” he said.

Replying to a question about the “short story”, Mr. Udhayanidhi said that Mr. Vijay continues to follow the style and grammar of audio launch and trailer launch functions even within the House. “The Parliament has been turned into a cinema. Members whistled in the Parliament today. This has never happened before. At this rate, they can even dance to the songs. Everything is being scripted and planned to be on the agenda on social media and to be shared in real terms.”