Kerala Assembly adjourned following Opposition protests
The Kerala Assembly session was adjourned on Monday following the fierce protests by UDF MLAs over the alleged sidelining of 49 questions submitted by the Opposition to the ‘unstarred’ list.
The protest over cases against Opposition UDF legislators in connection with the scuffle that broke out between Opposition and watch and ward personnel and Left MLAs before the Speaker’s office on Wednesday.
The Kerala Assembly was adjourned for the day on Friday after the Opposition staged a protest over registration of cases against Opposition UDF legislators in connection with the scuffle that broke out between Opposition and watch and ward personnel and Left MLAs before the Speaker’s office at the Assembly complex on Wednesday.
Opposition legislators vociferously condemned the government for slapping non-bailable criminal charges against UDF members, including women MLAs, for their protest before the office of Speaker.
Soon after question hour began, Opposition Congress-led UDF members staged protests raising slogans and holding placards for registering cases against UDF MLAs under non-bailable sections.
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Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the Speaker’s recurrent denial of the UDF’s rule 50 notices for adjournment debates on matters of pressing public importance warranted the protest. He also said that a fabricated case was registered against the MLAs to suppress the Opposition. When Satheesan’s mike was switched off, other MLAs trooped into the well of the House. As the commotion continued, Speaker A N Shamseer adjourned proceedings of the House for the day, within nine minutes of the session beginning.
The police registered cases against Opposition and ruling party legislators and watch and ward personnel of the Assembly in connection with the incidents that took place on Wednesday before the Speaker’s office at the Assembly complex.
While seven United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators were charged with non-bailable offences like rioting and barging into an office to cause hurt, two ruling party members were booked under bailable charges.
The UDF legislators disrupted the Kerala Assembly proceedings on Thursday to protest Wednesday’s manhandling of opposition members by ruling front MLAs and watch and ward personnel.
The Assembly had witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday when opposition members marched to the office of the Speaker and entered into a scuffle with watch and ward personnel and ruling party members.
Meanwhile, reconciliation move has been initiated from the government side to cool the opposition protest in the assembly. As part of this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister K Radhakrishnan held a meeting with Opposition Leader VD Satheesan On Friday. There are reports that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan may hold talks with opposition leaders on the issue.
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