Kerala Assembly fiasco: Five LDF MLAs suspended

LDF has given a notice of adjournment seeking action against UDF MLAs

The Kerala Assembly today suspended five Opposition MLAs through a resolution. Chief minister Oommen Chandy today moved a resolution seeking action against the Opposition members for the mayhem caused inside the House during the Budget presentation last week.  

The suspension order of V Sivankutty, EP Jayarajan, KT Jaleel, K Kunjahammad and K Ajith for the remaining budget session led to a loud protest by the Opposition legislators, who had made a sit-in protest at the well of the House.

Slamming the resolution presented by Chandy as 'one-sided', Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan said Finance Minister KM Mani had been an insult to the state.

Achuthanandan also said there had been no action against the ruling MLAs for harassing women MLAs of the Left Front.

Earlier, women MLAs Jameela Prakasham and ES Bijimol had lodged a complaint against minister Shibu Baby John, UDF MLAs K Sivadasan Nair and Dominic Presentation for allegedly blocking and harassing them and for using unparliamentary words against them. The Speaker is yet to consider this complaint. Prakasham said she would approach the Union Women’s Commission unless there was an action by the Speaker.  

Speaker N Sakthan held talks with both the UDF and the LDF leaders to decide on the action. However, both sides stuck to their stances and attempts to reach at an amicable solution had failed.

The Opposition said it would not cooperate with the Assembly proceedings if action had been initiated against its members.

MLAs should apologise to people:Speaker
Earlier, criticising the legislators over the vandalism unleashed in the Assembly last week, Sakthan said the episode was a shame to the state in front of the whole world.

“We have to hang our heads in shame. It is a blot that can't be removed. The MLAs should apologise to the people of Kerala,” the Speaker told the Assembly. The Speaker announced that the House was dissolved till March 20 and will restart on March 23 for vote-on-accounts.

Adjournment motion by LDF
When the Assembly reconvened on Monday, CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan gave a notice of adjournment seeking action against UDF MLAs who were accused of attacking LDF MLAs using the watch-and-ward staff.

The complaint against the UDF MLAs was given by 13 LDF members, including Achuthanandan. However, the Opposition had cooperated with the proceedings of the Assembly during the Q&A session.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, some Opposition MLAs were booked in connection with destruction caused during the incidents even as the police visited the legislature premises to collect evidence in the case.

Acting on a complaint from the Legislature Secretary with regard to destruction of some property of the house, a case had been registered against some LDF MLAs under relevant section of Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage), police said.

The violence prompted state Governor P Sathasivam to express deep concern and called for appropriate action against those responsible for the ‘unruly behaviour’.

LDF to block Mani
CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the LDF would continue its agitation until KM Mani resigns from the post. He said the Left Front will not accept Mani as a minister and will boycott all his programmes. LDF workers will also block Mani from participating in public functions.