The Opposition MLAs of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) staged an unprecedented protest in front of Speaker A N Shamseer’s office, leading to a tension in the Kerala Assembly complex on Wednesday.
Opposition members got incensed by the speaker’s denial of permission for the adjournment motion moved by Congress member Uma Thomas citing the assault of a minor girl in broad daylight at Chenkottukonam in the state capital the other day.
After the speaker announced that the notice for the adjournment motion could not be taken up, Opposition MLAs started raising slogans and holding banners with the message ‘Speaker should do justice’ . They then walked out of the House and staged a sit-in protest on the corridor leading to the Speaker’s chamber.
The Watch and Ward personnel tried to remove the MLAs from the spot. This has led to a scuffle between UDF MLAs and the Watch and Ward personnel. Congress MLA TJ Saneesh Kumar Joseph collapsed in the scuffle.
As the tension mounted, a section of legislators from the ruling bench also joined the melee. An argument erupted between the ruling and the Opposition MLAs.Four Opposition MLAs and five security staff members were injured in the scuffle.
The Opposition alleged that Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan MLA and women MLAs KK Rema and Uma Thomas were manhandled by the security staff.
On Tuesday, the Opposition’s demand to discuss police action on UDF councillors in Kochi corporation through an adjournment motion was also turned down by the Speaker .On Monday, the Speaker refused to allow the notice for adjournment motion to discuss the fire at the Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant in Kochi.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the Speaker had repeatedly denied permission for notices for adjournment motion, to which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had to reply.