United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators boycotted the proceedings of the Assembly for the second day on Friday demanding withdrawal of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remark that Shiv Sena activists who allegedly indulged in moral policing in Kochi on March 8 were hired by the Congress-led Opposition.
As soon as the House sat for the day, the UDF legislators were on their feet raising slogans and displaying placards disrupting the proceedings. Soon, legislators of the ruling front were also on their feet.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan: “You had said that you would examine the remark. We cannot wait for the session to end. You had expunged my remark.”
As the verbal duel continued, the Speaker told the House that his ruling would be given before the end of the session. “V. D. Satheesan had raised the issue under Rule 307 and the UDF legislators had met me. There should not be any debate and discussion on the ruling made in the House,” he said.
Dissatisfied by the Speaker’s observation, the UDF legislators stepped up their protest. Following this, the Chief Minister said, “You (Speaker) have seen what happened and this statement from the Opposition is nothing but blatant lies. Under no circumstance, I had moved out from the seat”. The Speaker said he had not seen Chief Minister moving to the well of the House.
The Opposition leader reiterated that Mr. Vijayan moved to the well of the House and threatened. There is no precedence of a Chief Minister having done so, he said
The Chief Minister said there had been several instance of the Chief Minister reaching the well of the House. I have seen it as a legislator and a Minister. “What happened here yesterday was different. I talked to the legislators and what is wrong in it.” he asked the Opposition.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs A.K. Balan’s effort to pacify the UDF legislators also did not succeed.
The Speaker said no one can demand when the Chair should give the ruling. Amidst the protest and slogan shouting, he called CPIM) legislator T.V. Rajesh to ask the second question. The UDF legislators continued with their protest for some time and later walked out.
