Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and DMK’s working president M.K. Stalin has demanded the convening of a special session of the Assembly in view of the ‘extra-ordinary’ situation prevailing in the State which is caught in a whirlpool of protests by people and students against the recent bus fare hike.

“A debate on the floor of the Assembly on the issue is inevitable and is the need of the hour so as to bring an end to these protests,” Stalin told newsmen while speaking to them at the DMK’s headquarters ‘Anna Arivalayam’ in Teynampet, Chennai. “I was deeply disturbed by the videos of policemen arresting and taking student protesters in police vehicles,” Stalin added.

“An extra-ordinary situation prevails in the State in the backdrop of these protests against bus fare hike. As the Leader of the Opposition, I demand immediate convening of a short session of the Legislative Assembly so as to discuss/debate in detail about the issue on hand to find a possible and feasible solution,” he said.

On another note, he condemned Kanchi Mutt’s Vijayendrar for not ‘standing up’ during the prayer addressed to ‘Goddess of Tamil’ at a recent event. “When Governor stands up, it means everyone should pay respect to the prayer. Even if he was meditating, he should have got up; I feel his act of meditating was an exercise in futility,” he said.

Stalin also urged the AIADMK regime to take up with the Centre the issue of releasing the seven main accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. “I once again urge the State to pass a resolution in the Assembly for releasing them at once,” Stalin suggested.