Talking to newspersons after addressing the newly elected MLAs at the party headquarters here, the former chief minister said she has decided to stay away from the Assembly as those who had attacked and humiliated her in the House on March 25, 1989 have become ministers again.

She alleged that the DMK men had no basic values and they behaved in a barbaric manner in the House on the fateful day. Ms Jayalalithaa said her party colleagues advised her not to come to the House this time and she wanted to respect their views.

''In the backdrop of the March 25, 1989 incident, my partymen advised me not to come to the House and I will respect their views,'' she said.

In 1989, when the DMK was in power, the party MLAs behaved in an uncivilised and undignified manner. However, when the AIADMK came to power in 1991 and again in 2001, she had treated the opposition with respect and dignity, she said.

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