Members of the Opposition stalled Assembly proceedings for more than an hour on Thursday in protest against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s remarks against the Communist Party of India (CPI) on the floor on Wednesday.
When zero hour began, CPI legislature party leader C. Divakaran insisted on raising a point of order against Mr. Chandy’s remarks against the party during the course of discussions on the leave for an adjournment motion on Wednesday. Mr. Divakaran said the Opposition had only presented evidence and raised allegations against Minister for Public Works V.K. Ebrahim Kunju on the basis of allegations raised by K.B. Ganesh Kumar and did not pass any adverse comments against the Indian Union Muslim League. Mr. Chandy, instead, passed defamatory remarks against the CPI which, Mr. Divakaran insisted, should be removed from the proceedings.
Mr. Chandy said his observations about the party were not aimed at hurting anyone and were only doubts that cropped up in the mind of anyone. He expressed regret for making the observations. But the Opposition refused to buy the argument and insisted that it should be erased from the records.
Deputy Speaker N. Sakthan then said they should have raised it on Wednesday itself and it had been extensively reported by the media on Thursday.
Enraged Opposition members then moved to the well and started disrupting the proceedings at 9.45 a.m., ignoring the chair’s request to maintain calm. Mr. Sakthan then stopped the proceedings and held discussions with leaders of either side. On resuming business at 11.05 a.m., Mr. Sakthan said he had failed to evolve a consensus as both sides stuck to their stance.
Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan then announced that all Opposition members, except S. Sarma [Communist Party of India (Marxist)], who had given notice for an adjournment motion, were staging a walkout in protest against the decision. Soon, all of them trooped out in protest.
