A heated exchange between J Jayalalithaa and senior Minister K Anbazhagan over self-adorned titles threw the House into turmoil on Friday, resulting in AIADMK and DMK members almost coming to blows. This is only the second time that the AIADMK chief has attended the Assembly since the DMK came to power in May 2006.Jayalalithaa created quite a flutter when she appeared in the House on the last day of the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. Flaying the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) for its pro-LTTE speeches, she strongly criticised the composition of the legal committee proposed by the Government to decide on a new legislation to curtail support for banned outfits. She wondered why there were no ‘legal experts’ in the committee that comprised Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Finance Minister K Anbazhagan, Law Minister Duraimurugan, besides the Chief Secretary and the DGP. “Are they legal experts? Anbazhagan was once an assistant professor and Duraimurugan himself will be surprised if he is called a legal expert,” she remarked sarcastically, evoking an uproar from the Treasury benches.Reacting to the affront, Anbazhagan, who is popularly referred to as ‘Perasiriyar (Professor) Anbazhagan’ by DMK partymen, said he had served as assistant professor in a city college and he was “not ashamed of it”. Anbazhagan added that people called him ‘professor’ out of love and affection. “I have never claimed that I am a professor and demanded salary or a pension for it,” he said. Minister Duraimurugan then intervened to say: “People call you ‘Puratchi Thalaivi’ (revolutionary leader) when you have not done anything revolutionary, what’s wrong in calling Anbazhagan as Professor?” This evoked loud protests from AIADMK members.If Jayalalithaa wanted to address him as assistant professor, she was free to do so, said Anbazhagan, adding: “I have been an assistant professor and before that a student. I have done nothing to be ashamed of, whereas can we discuss what some people were doing 50 years ago?”Confusion broke out as AIADMK and DMK members rushed to the well of the House and began shouting at each other and gesticulating menacingly. Apprehending that the situation would get worse, Speaker R Avudaiyappan adjourned the House for 10 minutes. When the House reassembled the Speaker pleaded for calm.Continuing her speech, Jayalalithaa accused the CM of failing to take action against LTTE supporters. She wondered why the Government had not taken action against DMK ally and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan despite his open support for the banned organisation at a public meeting.
