The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators staged a walkout in the Assembly on Tuesday in protest against the government’s improper handling of the attack on C.O.T. Naseer, a former CPI(M) worker who had contested as an Independent from the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency.
Raising the issue through an adjournment motion, IUML legislator Parakkal Abdulla said the CCTV visuals of the attack clearly showed the role of CPI(M) and DYFI local leaders. Mr. Nazeer had alleged that CPI(M) legislator A.N. Shamseer was behind the attack. The IUML legislator said the police had miserably failed in arresting those behind the attack and those who plotted it.
In his reply, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the police would act in a fair and impartial manner against those involved in crimes. The police would take strong action against all those involved. There was no lapse on the part of the investigating team. The police had to depend on scientific evidence to nab the accused and the statements recorded were read out to the victim.
Pointing out that the CPI(M) did not harbour any hostility towards Mr. Naseer, the Chief Minister said that was why P. Jayarajan, the CPM candidate in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency, had met him. CPI(M) Kannur district secretary M.V. Jayarajan also had visited Mr. Naseer in the hospital.
The Chief Minister’s reply to the comments made by Mr. Abdulla on the poor law and order situation at Thalassery, Nadapuram, Kuttyadi and Vadakara led to verbal duel between the Opposition and treasury benches. “People are living in a peaceful way here. There was a time when people were killed in RSS attacks. Now, these places are models of brotherhood,” Mr. Vijayan said.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the black hands of the CPI(M) were behind the 39 political murders that had taken place in the last three years and that the police was not allowing free and fair political activities. “The violence in the State will end if the CPI(M) and the RSS lay down arms,’’ he said.
Based on the Chief Minister’s explanation, Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan denied leave for the motion and the Opposition walked out in protest.
