Kerala assembly adjourns following opposition uproar over KSU workers attack

The Kerala assembly on Wednesday was adjourned following a massive opposition uproar in protest over the police attack against Kerala Students Union (KSU) workers and an MLA.

Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) members staged a protest in the state assembly and entered the well of the house raising slogans over police lathi-charge on KSU workers and Congress MLA Shafi Parambil. They also demanded CBI inquiry into the Walayar rape case.

UDF members greeted Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan by shouting slogans and holding placards against the police action. Bloodstained clothes of the MLA was waved inside the house.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded that the Question Hour should be suspended taking up the adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA VT Balram on the issue. But the speaker did not accede to the demand and the protest continued.

The opposition MLAs stormed to the well of the House and MLAs IC Balakrishnan, Roji M John, Anwar Sadath and Eldos Kunnappalli entered into the speaker's dice. Speaker left his seat and met the opposition leaders.

When the assembly resumed, Minister E P Jayarajan said that the police undertook lathi-charge in response to KSU workers' attack. He also ordered a probe into the incident in which Shafi Parambil MLA and KSU state president Abhijith was injured.

But the opposition continued shouting slogans from the well of the house and the speaker finished the day's business after passing two bills in a hurry. Opposition marched out together shouting slogans from the assembly.

Meanwhile, Kerala state government today filed an appeal in Kerala High Court seeking re-investigation and re-trial into the Walayar rape case.

The Walayar case pertains to the rape of two minor sisters, aged nine and 13 years, in Walayar in Palakkad district in 2017. While one of them allegedly committed suicide, the second one was later found dead.

The post mortem examination had revealed that both the girls were subjected to sexual assault.