The Kerala Assembly was adjourned on Thursday until February 27 amidst  protest in the House by the opposition UDF against fuel, piped water, power and liquor price rise

Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) MLAs began their protest by walking from the MLA hostels to attend the Assembly. In a novel protest against the budget proposal to impose cess on petrol and diesel, the Opposition UDF legislators walked to the assembly, avoiding  vehicle travel.  They marched holding a black banner that read ‘Extortion, robbery , pickpocketing’.

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Later, the protesting  MLAs trooped into the Well of the House, disrupting the question hour. They shouted slogans against the government’s fiscal policy. The leader of the opposition VD Satheesan informed the Speaker that the UDF MLAs would not cooperate with the house proceedings.

“The Finance Minister not only  refused  to withdraw the additional burden imposed on the people but also ridiculed the four UDF MLAs who have been conducting satyagraha in front of the Assembly for the last four days. So we cannot cooperate with the proceedings,” said Satheesan.

The Speaker, however, decided to go ahead with the Question Hour while the UDF MLAs  continued their protests. They came near the Speaker’s dais with placards against the fuel cess.

The UDF MLAs  came near the Speaker’s dais with placards against the fuel cess.The Speaker however decided to go ahead with the question hour while the UDF MLAs  continued their protests, but was forced to suspend it as the protest intensified.

Later, Speaker  Shamseer hurriedly took up other businesses of the day and adjourned the House.

Leading the UDF members out of the House, Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan said that two successive terms in power have made the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government  arrogant  and it could not see the plight of common men and understand their feelings

Satheesan said the LDF government had forced the people to pick up the heavy public debt tab caused by the administration’s financial mismanagement.

Meanwhile, a damning Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report slamming the  LDF government for inefficient tax collection resulting in an estimated Rs 7,100 crore revenue shortfall in the  last five years, has given fodder for the opposition to attack the LDF government.

The report is a major setback to the Left Democratic Front government, which last week proposed additional direct tax burden to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore, including social security cess of Rs 2 on a litre of fuel, citing the financial constraints of the state government.

The LDF government has justified the fresh tax proposals and put the blame on the Union government, citing cessation of GST compensation and other restrictive measures.