The Opposition United Democratic Front staged a walkout in the Assembly on Tuesday, accusing the government of failure to curb mafia groups and criminals unleashing a reign of terror in the State.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the law and order situation had collapsed. “Cases of moral policing and crimes against women and children have gone up and hired goons are on the rampage even as the police remain inert. Anti-goonda squads are ineffective and the Chief Minister who handles the Home portfolio is losing his hold on the police. With the government extending political patronage, criminals have a free run across the State,”
he said.
Refuting the charges, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the police had taken stern action to curb the activities of criminal gangs and antisocial elements. The government had invoked the KAPA against habitual offenders and efforts were on to gather intelligence about history-sheeters, rowdies and sexual offenders. The police had acted promptly against moral policing.
Earlier moving the notice for an adjournment motion to discuss the issue, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the government move to relax the jail term for convicted criminals would worsen the law and order situation.
Mr. Vijayan said the government would not deviate from the parameters for relaxation of jail term for convicts serving sentence. He replied that he was not sure whether the list of convicts included those sentenced in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case.
With the Speaker refusing to grant discussion on the motion, the Opposition members trooped out of the House. The lone BJP member O. Rajagopal also joined the walkout to register protest over the government's failure to maintain law and order.
