UDF requests Govt to reconsider decision to withdraw assembly

Opposition UDF in Kerala today requested the state government to reconsider its decision to withdraw cases registered against six LDF MLAs for their unruly behaviour in the House during the presentation of budget in 2015.
The case was registered during the previous UDF rule against six then LDF MLAs under relevant sections of the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage).
The government decided to withdraw the cases considering a petition by V Sivankutty, CPI(M) leader and former MLA who was one among the accused in the case.
Sivankutty had last month written to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan seeking withdrawal of the police case against him and five other LDF members stating that it was "politically motivated" case.

Opposition leader in the assembly and former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala deplored the government move and wanted the government to reconsider its decision.
"It is shameful on the part of the government to withdraw the case like this", Chennithala told reporters today and added that "it was an incident that caused damage to the modesty of the assembly'.
The Kerala Assembly had witnessed unprecedented and ugly scenes on March 13, 2015 as the LDF members tried to prevent then Finance Minister K M Mani, who was facing allegations in bar bribery scam, from presenting the budget.
Besides throwing Speaker's chair from the podium, electronic equipments like computer, keyboard and mikes on the desk of the presiding officer were also damaged by LDF members.