On 25 March 1989, Karunanidhi, then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and also the state's finance minister, stood up to read his budget speech, when he was interrupted by the opposition. Congress MLA Kumari Anandan spoke that police was harassing Jayalalithaa, then Leader of Opposition in the assembly, who also joined her in protest, arguing that Karunanidhi was using the police to harass her and was getting her phones tapped. She wanted the house to discuss this issue.
Even before Karunanidhi could say anything, the assembly was in chaos, and Jayalalithaa screamed "People charged with criminal acts should not be allowed to present the budget”. She declared that Karunanidhi was corrupt. Karunanidhi replied with a retort - expunged from assembly records for being 'unparliamentary' - which made Jayalalithaa very angry. As one of her MLAs rushed towards Karunanidhi’s desk, he lost his balance and fell; DMK legislators dismantled the microphones and threw them at the opposition members, who flung slippers and books in response; one of Jayalalithaa’s MLAs tore the budget papers in half.
The speaker adjourned the House - which should have brought these shameful happenings to a close. It did not. While Jayalalithaa was coming out of the assembly, the then minister for public works, Durai Murugan, among Karunanidhi's favorites even today, obstructed her path, clutching at her sari as she cried for assistance.
This incident—with its echoes of the shameful disrobing of Draupadi in theMahabharata—was the beginning of the end for Karunanidhi. Jayalalithaa publicly vowed to “never step foot inside the House until conditions are created for a woman to attend the Assembly with dignity”. And rest is history, she became cm of state for five times after that. She will always be remembered as symbol of women empowerment.
Even before Karunanidhi could say anything, the assembly was in chaos, and Jayalalithaa screamed "People charged with criminal acts should not be allowed to present the budget”. She declared that Karunanidhi was corrupt. Karunanidhi replied with a retort - expunged from assembly records for being 'unparliamentary' - which made Jayalalithaa very angry. As one of her MLAs rushed towards Karunanidhi’s desk, he lost his balance and fell; DMK legislators dismantled the microphones and threw them at the opposition members, who flung slippers and books in response; one of Jayalalithaa’s MLAs tore the budget papers in half.
The speaker adjourned the House - which should have brought these shameful happenings to a close. It did not. While Jayalalithaa was coming out of the assembly, the then minister for public works, Durai Murugan, among Karunanidhi's favorites even today, obstructed her path, clutching at her sari as she cried for assistance.
This incident—with its echoes of the shameful disrobing of Draupadi in theMahabharata—was the beginning of the end for Karunanidhi. Jayalalithaa publicly vowed to “never step foot inside the House until conditions are created for a woman to attend the Assembly with dignity”. And rest is history, she became cm of state for five times after that. She will always be remembered as symbol of women empowerment.
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