The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Monday as the Opposition brandished banners and placards and raised slogans accusing the government of shielding Finance Minister K.M. Mani who is facing allegations of bribery in the bar licence row, and demanding his resignation.
The LDF members staged a walkout after the Speaker refused permission to discussion an adjournment motion on the issue moved by Deputy Leader of the Opposition Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Asserting that neither he nor his party had accepted bribes, Mr. Mani said the charges against him were baseless. He said the decision to renew the bar hotel licence was taken by the Cabinet. He accused the LDF of conspiring with bar hotel owners to tarnish the government. The Opposition members wanted the government to register an FIR against Mr. Mani and oust him from the Cabinet if he refused to step down on his own. The zero hour was marked by heated exchanges between the ruling and Opposition benches, with the LDF members moving towards the well of the House on several occasions. Moving the motion, Mr. Balakrishnan trained his guns on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also, accusing him of shielding his tainted Cabinet colleagues. He alleged that the government was trying to prolong the preliminary investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) into the charges against Mr. Mani. He said the VACB was forced to work with its hands tied behind.
Mr. Balakrishnan produced a CD, claiming that it had enough evidence to nail Mr. Mani. Deputy Speaker N. Sakthan, who was in the chair, said he would have to examine the CD first before permitting it to be tabled in the House.
Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan said all the allegations were centred around Mr. Chandy.
