The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators boycotted the Question Hour in the Assembly on Monday in protest against the decision of Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan not to suspend proceedings as demanded by the Opposition to take up the adjournment motion.
When the Speaker called Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothoman to reply to the listed question for the day, the UDF
legislators, led by Anwar Sadath (Congress), raised slogans. The Speaker’s request to cooperate during the Question Hour, to permit the Minister to complete the reply and to stick to the Assembly practices and precedence was ignored.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala’s attempt to make a statement led to protest from the Treasury benches and noisy scenes. “You cannot speak after stopping the Minister,” the Speaker said. Following this, the UDF legislators rushed to the front row and raised slogans. The Speaker’s appeal to them to return to their seats fell on deaf years.
After the Minister completed the reply on paddy procurement, Mr. Chennithala demanded suspension of the Question Hour to take
up the adjournment motion. The House witnessed noisy scenes again when the Speaker said the Question Hour could not be suspended.
The UDF legislators entered into a verbal duel with the Speaker demanding suspension of Question Hour. The repeated appeal to thrm to return to their seats did not yield any result and the Speaker reminded them that the problem of farmers was being discussed. “You cannot raise other issues during Question Hour. The Opposition leader was given an opportunity to talk and the issue raised by him was not connected to the question being asked,” he said.
As the Speaker continued with the proceedings, the Opposition UDF legislators displayed banners and shouted slogans before leaving. They returned to the House minutes before the Question Hour ended.
