Kerala LoP VD Satheesan denied claims by CM Vijayan that the opposition attacked assembly staff during protests over the Sabarimala gold case. He vowed to continue the protest, while the Speaker alleged an MLA did hit a staff member with a banner.
Kerala Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Wednesday denied attacking the watch-and-ward-staff during uproar in the state legislative assembly over the case of alleged theft of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple gold. Referring to the Chief Minister's statement in the assembly, he called the remarks completely false and misleading. He further affirmed that the opposition parties will continue their protest over the Sabarimala gold controversy throughout the ongoing state assembly session.
Opposition Leader Refutes CM's Claims
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had lashed out at the Opposition for attempting to "deliberately attempting to create trouble" in the Legislative Assembly and urged the House to condemn the "antics." "We are continuing our protest related to the Sabarimala gold smuggling issue. Yesterday in the House, the Chief Minister made a completely false and misleading statement. He claimed that we attacked the watch-and-ward staff with sticks, this is untrue, and he must withdraw it. He even said there was violence. Everyone knows who actually created that scene; those responsible are sitting right there. We did not engage in any such act. Holding banners in protest is not new in the Assembly. Even the Speaker himself said that there was no issue serious enough to require a meeting in his chamber," said VD Satheesan.
He further accused members of the ruling LDF of allegedly attacking prominent Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, asserting that ministers insulting an MP from Kerala is unacceptable. "There was no violence or aggressive behaviour from our side. We protested, and we made every effort not to cooperate with the proceedings. But during Question Hour, whenever ministers got the mic, they attacked Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Those remarks remain in the Assembly records even now. Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are our respected leaders, one of them is even an MP from Kerala. Ministers insulting an MP from Kerala is unacceptable. We cannot agree with such conduct, we will not cooperate with the Assembly proceedings," added VD Satheesan.
Uproar Over Sabarimala Gold Case
Earlier, the Kerala Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes as members of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition attempted to enter the Speaker's chamber as they raised slogans over the case of alleged theft of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple gold. The opposition, which boycotted the Question Hour, protested with placards and banners against the alleged interference by the Chief Minister's office in the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) probe into the Sabarimala gold cases. Opposition leaders, including Congress MLA Anwar Sadat, attempted to enter the Speaker's chamber. Visuals from the Assembly showed the house watch and ward personnel restraining opposition members, and as the protest intensified, Speaker A N Shamseer rose from his seat and left. Consequently, the House proceedings were then temporarily suspended.
Ruling Front Condemns Protest
Following the incident, the Assembly Speaker, A.N. Shamseer, condemned the uproar and asserted that the watch and ward staff acted strictly according to the Chair's instructions. He further claimed that he intervened personally when an attempt was made to allegedly provoke the staff. "Yesterday, one Congress MLA struck a watch-and-ward staff member with the very stick used to hold their banner. I am not naming the member, because doing so would bring embarrassment to that member. But if you insist that I must disclose the name, I will be forced to do so. The watch and ward staff acted strictly according to the Chair's instructions. When more members started climbing onto their benches, I directed them to withdraw only to prevent the situation from escalating into a physical confrontation. It was a step taken purely to avoid conflict. When there was an attempt to provoke the watch-and-ward staff, the Chair intervened immediately," said Shamseer.
Along with Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.B. Rajesh also condemned the incident, calling V.D. Satheesan a leader of double standards. "The whole world saw what happened here. The photograph of the member who jumped onto the front row is in today's newspapers. If that member had gone to a high jump competition after proper training, the country would have benefited more. Two members jumped from the front. The Chief Minister said one of them is a lawyer. So was that a legally valid jump? The Leader of the Opposition always lectures us about parliamentary conduct. He has 25 years of parliamentary experience. Yet he justified everything that happened yesterday, and now again he is doing the same. Let the whole world see this. This is double standards. He is the leader of those double standards," said Rajesh.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)