TN crisis: DMK leaders to go on hunger strike on Feb 22

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Feb. 19 (ANI): The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday announced that it will hold a hunger strike on February 22 in all district offices of the party in Tamil Nadu. The decision was taken after the party MLAs met at their headquarters and DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said the trust vote moved by Chief Minister yesterday was 'illegal'. Siva has confirmed that the party has submitted a memorandum on the issue to Tamil Nadu Governor who has promised to look into the matter. "Sans participation of Opposition in Assembly, the trust vote moved by Chief Minister was passed. It's illegal. We've submitted a memorandum on the issue to TN Governor. He has promised to look into the matter," he told the media after meeting the Governor. Earlier in the day, DMK president M.K. Stalin held a special meeting with party MLAs at DMK headquarters following which some members of the party met with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. An FIR has been filed against Stalin for holding a protest at Marina beach in Chennai. Stalin sat on a protest at the Marina along with his MLAs against the alleged attack on him and his party MLAs during the trust vote in the Assembly. Police said an FIR has been filed against them for unlawful assembly and violation of public order. DMK staged the protest without obtaining prior permission as required under law. Besides Stalin, 63 MLAs, three MPs and several DMK cadres who participated in the protest have been named in the FIR. Stalin was detained yesterday after holding protest at Marina beach alleging that he was manhandled in the Assembly by the marshals during the vote of confidence. The Palaniswami government won the trust vote with a comfortable margin of 122-11. Several DMK workers had blocked vehicular traffic and indulged in stone-pelting in different places in the state to protest the alleged attack on Stalin. (ANI)