The Kerala Assembly on Monday suspended five MLAs belonging to the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) for the rest of the 13th session for storming the Speaker’s podium and damaging equipment during the presentation of the State Budget in the House on March 13.
The discussion on the budget was truncated and the House adjourned till March 23 after the Opposition raised a storm of protest against the adoption of a resolution in this regard moved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan termed the action against the MLAs arbitrary. The suspended legislators are E.P. Jayarajan, V. Sivankutty, and K. Kunhammed of the CPI(M); K. Ajith of the CPI; and K.T. Jaleel (LDF Independent).
A disgrace
Moving the resolution, Mr. Chandy said the unprecedented incidents in the Assembly on March 13 had brought disgrace to the State and Malayalis across the world. The Opposition legislators, he said, had ransacked the Speaker’s podium, and damaged the Chair, microphone, computer and files. The democratic right to protest had to be exercised with restraint.
Alleging that the Opposition was trying to shift the blame for the violence in the House to the United Democratic Front (UDF), Mr. Chandy said: “The whole world had seen the visuals of the incidents in the House on March 13. Unless you assume responsibility for your acts, you will sink deeper into disgrace.”
Mr. Chandy said the LDF was trying to deflect the issue by accusing the ruling front of manhandling women MLAs from the Opposition benches. “There is no question of making scapegoats of UDF MLAs,” he said.
The Chief Minister called on the Chair to curtail the three-day budget discussion to one day.
The Speaker announced adjournment after the LDF members moved to the well of the House raising slogans. The five suspended MLAs remained in their seats, disregarding Mr. Sakthan’s repeated order to leave the hall.
Earlier, during question hour, an uneasy calm prevailed in the House as Opposition members participated in the proceedings. As soon as zero hour commenced, the Speaker made a reference stressing the need for action against those responsible for the violence in the House on March 13. He said the Opposition had also sought leave for discussion on an adjournment motion on the assault on its MLAs in the House and the police action on its cadres outside.
Mr. Sakthan invited Mr. Chandy to move the resolution after two rounds of discussions with leaders of the ruling and Opposition fronts failed to find a negotiated settlement.
The House will meet next on Monday to complete the proceedings to pass the budget.
