BJP blames UDF for Kerala Assembly chaos, demands K.M. Mani's dismissal

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday blamed the UDF Government in Kerala for the ruckus in the state assembly and called for state Finance Minister K.M. Mani's dismissal.

"All the developments that took place today in the Kerala capital is entirely because of UDF government's insistence on protecting a corrupt minister. The finance minister is facing severe charges of corruption in giving licenses to bar associations and bars. The state police and the vigilance departments have registered a case in this matter with him as the prime accused," BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told ANI.

"It is ironical that government is letting him continue as finance minister. The democratic protests that have been staged by the opposition parties have been met with severe force from the government side. The Kerala government must understand the gravity of the situation and should dismiss the minister. Allowing a minister with corruption charges to continue is highly undemocratic," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the incident as 'disgrace to democracy' and said that preventing a state finance minister from presenting the budget is wrong.

"It is a disgrace to our democracy. The very idea that political parties can prevent a finance minister from laying the budget of the state before the assembly is truly shocking. The scenes that reportedly were witnessed are an absolute disgrace," Tharoor said.

"The whole exercise has become deeply embarrassing. The disruptions in this manner and preventing a finance minister from laying the state finance minister before the house is wrong," he added.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy earlier in the day condemned the chaos in and outside the state Assembly and described the whole situation as unfortunate while blaming the opposition for it

The Kerala Assembly today erupted in chaos as leaders of the opposition tried to prevent Finance Minister K.M. Mani, who is facing a vigilance probe in the bar scam case, from presenting the state budget.

Several MLAs were injured in the clash that took place inside the assembly.

The Speaker's chair and mics were thrown as Mani read out the budget surrounded by his party men and security personnel.

The CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been demanding Mani's resignation, has alleged that the Finance Minister accepted a bribe of Rs. one crore to renew licences of bars that were shut down by the administration.

The opposition parties had earlier last week walked out of the assembly, demanding the Finance Minister's resignation.