Thiruvananthapuram: The brief Assembly session
of Kerala began on Tuesday on a stormy note with congress led UDF
Opposition disrupting proceedings demanding the resignation of
state Revenue Minister KP Rajendran and a judicial probe
into the `money for jobs scam` leading to early adjournment
of the house after rushing through day`s business.
Opposition continued its protest raising slogans against the
government by trooping into the well of the House even as
state Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan assured the House that
stern action would be taken against the persons behind the
fraud appointments in Waynad collectorate office.
Replying to a notice for an adjournment motion moved by
Opposition on the matter during Zero Hour, Achuthanandan said the
government acted swiftly after the fraud came to light and
perpetrators of the crime were being arrested one by one.
Achuthanadan also questioned the moral right of Congress to
take up issue of corruption as the UPA government at the
Centre was `immersed in corruption to crores of rupees`.
Achuthanandan also said what happened in Waynad was an
isolated case and the Opposition was using it as a weapon to
attack the government.
Demanding a discussion on the `job scam`, Opposition leader
Oommen Chandy said non-transparent appointments and corruption
has become the `hall mark` of the CPI-M led LDF government.
Chandy said the job scam had even affected the credibility
of the Kerala Public Service Commission, on which millions of
job seekers in the state had put faith.
Chandy said Rajendran could not absolve himself from the
illegal appointments in Waynad collectorate.
Rajendran rejected the Opposition charges and said the scam
was exposed by the Revenue Vigilance Department itself and
the department took action against the culprits immediately.
Eight persons who got illegal appointments had been removed
from the service and a comprehensive probe into the whole
issue was progressing, Rajendran said.
Intervening on the adjournment motion notice, Home Minister
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that Opposition was trying to
create a smoke screen out of the issue.
After the reply of Chief Minister and his colleagues,
Speaker K Radhakrishnan refused leave for the motion moved by
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (Congress).
Amid Opposition protest Radhakrishnan took up other business
listed for day and the House referred to subject committee The
Kerala University of Health and Allied Sciences Bill, 2010 and
The Kerala Agriculture Worker`s (Amendment) Bill, 2010.
PTI
