The Kerala Assembly had to be adjourned on Tuesday with the CPI(M)-led Opposition insisting for the resignation of the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy over the solar scam and the alleged links between his close aide and the accused in the case.
As soon as the Speaker. G. Karthikeyan took up the questions when the House met at 8.30 a.m., the opposition legislators were on their feet demanding the suspension of the question hour. They displayed banner and placards and started shouting slogans. They also demanded action against the officials for Monday’s police action against activists of the LDF youth organisations.
As the Speaker called the Minister for Finance K. M. Mani to reply to the question, the LDF legislators rushed to the front benches and later to the well of the house and the Speaker’s podium raising their demands. The Speaker’s repeated appeal to the Opposition to cooperate with the proceedings and to return to their seats went unheeded. He reminded the Opposition legislators that the Question Hour cannot be suspended.
As opposition legislators continued slogan shouting, the Speaker cancelled the Question Hour and the Zero Hour and took up the financial business scheduled for the day.
Mr. Chandy presented the Demands for Grants in the budget for the year 2013-14 for the Stamps and Registration and Food Department in the absence of the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob. Minister for Excise and Fisheries K. Babu and Minister for Finance K. M. Mani presented the demands for the departments handled by them.
Amidst the din, the House passed the demands without discussion and the Speaker announced that the grants were allocated. As the Opposition stepped up their protest, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day and left the podium.
Later, the Parliamentary party of the LDF met in the Assembly complex under the chairmanship of Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan and decided to intensify the stir for the resignation of the Chief Minister and a judicial probe into the issue.
The Opposition also criticised the decision of the Speaker to cancel the Zero Hour and pointed out that it was against conventions. They alleged that the Speaker was trying to help the ruling front by cancelling the Zero Hour. The Opposition legislators led by Mr. Achuthanandan later staged a dharna in front of the main gate of the Legislature complex.
