Third day in succession, Kerala Assembly session gets adjourned early

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the third day in succession on Wednesday, proceedings in the Kerala assembly got disrupted with an angry Congress-led opposition taking on the Pinarayi Vijayan government accusing it of "indifference" towards the two murders that took place in Palakkad district last week.

The question hour did not go smoothly with the opposition up on their feet right from 8.30 a.m. when the Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan arrived to take his seat.

The leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded that the question hour is suspended and a discussion is initiated on the brutal murder of Madhu, a tribal youth, by a group of people and the murder of Safeer a, 23-year-old businessman, allegedly by a group of Communist Party of India workers.

But Sreeramakrishnan, while accepting that the opposition has every right to protest, said the assembly functions on procedures and the suspension of question hour is not possible.

Following this, the opposition walked out of the house and returned at 9.30 a.m. and one of its MLAs N. Shamsudeen, in whose constituency both these murders took place, asked for an adjournment motion to discuss the issue.

"The twin murders, both done by a group of goons is a huge blot on Kerala. What`s more important is that the Home Department under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has turned out to be a huge failure, with the law and order situation in the state taking a beating. The police are just silent spectators and the goons are making merry," said Shamsudeen.

But Vijayan hit back saying the 16 accused in the murder of Madhu has been arrested.

"Likewise in the murder of Safeer, also the three accused have been arrested. We have already sanctioned Rs 10 lakhs for the family of Madhu besides another Rs 8.25 lakhs from the SC/ST fund and the first instalment has already been handed over. 

"Today the state government is determined to see that the tribal society in the state is brought to the mainstream of our society and it will be done through the respective local bodies in the state," said Vijayan.

With the Speaker failing to give the nod for a discussion, Chennithala said that normal life under the Left government has come to a standstill with police remaining as mute spectators, allowing goons to have a free hand.

Following this, the opposition legislators started shouting slogans and quickly the Speaker winded up all the listed business of the day and adjourned the house.

The assembly will now resume its sitting on Monday, as the CPI is having its state conference.