The Assembly witnessed a furore for the second consecutive day on Wednesday after the Opposition LDF staged a protest demanding a legislative committee to inquire into the allegations levelled by Kerala Congress(B) legislator K.B. Ganesh Kumar against the office of Public Works Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju.
Trying to capitalise on the acute embarrassment caused to the Treasury benches by Mr. Kumar on Tuesday, the LDF raised the issue through an adjournment motion moved by V.S. Sunilkumar of the CPI. But Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Mr. Kunju repeatedly blunted the Opposition attack led by Mr. Sunilkumar, throwing the LDF ranks into some confusion.
Opposition members later squatted in the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the government even as Deputy Speaker N. Sakthan, who was in the Chair, took up the legislative business for the day and adjourned the House early.
Seeking leave for the adjournment motion, Mr. Sunilkumar accused the Chief Minister of trying to cover up corruption and shield guilty officials.
He said the revision of estimate for various road and bridge projects was steeped in corruption and dared the government to form an Assembly committee to probe the charges against the office of the Public Works Minister.
Allegations vague: CMRising to defend Mr. Kunju, Mr. Chandy took jibes at the LDF, accusing it of swallowing other corruption charges and taking up cudgels for Mr. Kumar who was absent in the House on Wednesday.
Terming Mr. Kumar’s allegations as vague, he lauded the Public Works Department for ensuring time-bound completion of infrastructure projects and introducing the e-tender and e-payment systems to curb corruption. He hit out at the LDF, accusing it of impeding the State’s development by raising unsubstantiated corruption charges.
Turning on the CPI, Mr. Chandy said a party whose leaders faced allegations of selling a Parliament seat for money had no moral right to raise corruption charges against others. “You should be ashamed of raising these charges against a Minister. Remember, when you point a finger at us, four fingers are pointing towards you,” he said amid loud cheers and thumping of desks from the Treasury benches.
Charges refutedRefuting the charges against him, Mr. Kunju said the revised estimates of most road projects were prepared on the basis of requests from legislators, including those from the Opposition.
With the Chair denying permission to take up the adjournment motion for discussion, the Opposition members moved to the Well and shouted slogans till the House adjourned for the day.
