Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly, which gathered today after the weekend and Independence Day holidays, condoled the death of senior DMK leader and former minister SP Sarguna Pandian, who passed away in Chennai on Saturday.

Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal read out an obituary, condoling the death of Sarguna Pandian, who was elected twice to the Assembly, in 1989 and 1996, from RK Nagar constituency, in Chennai. He had also been the deputy general secretary of the DMK, and was the Social Welfare Minister between 1996-2001.

The members also observed a two-minute silence to mourn his demise.

In the question hour that followed, the state Minister for Higher Education, KP Anbalagan said that enrolment for higher education in Tamil Nadu was much better than the national average, due to the measures implemented by the Chief Minister.

To a question from Congress MLA, JG Prince, the Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said that in the last five years, fish worth Rs. 5,000 crores were exported. He also informed the assembly that Rs. 2,525 crores have been allocated for fishermen welfare.

Angry exchange of words ensued between the opposition and the treasury. The Speaker issued a strict warning to the erring DMK members.