UDF takes over medical fee hike stir, Hartal turns violent in Kerala

 

Both the Kerala government and opposition upped the ante on Wednesday ensuring that the Assembly session was disrupted on the third day in a row over issues related to recent fee hike in self-financing medical colleges in the state. 

 

The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by UDF in Thiruvananthapuram turned violent with hartal supporters pelting stones at vehicles and blocking private vehicles that ventured onto the road. 

 

Opposition MLAs began shouting slogans and showing banners as soon as the session began on Wednesday.

 

In between Speaker called Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala to speak over the adjournment motion moved by United Democratic Fund (UDF) MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan to discuss on fee hike of self-financing medical colleges and police lathi charge against Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Youth Congress.

 

As Chennithala began to talk, speaker switched off the mike asking him to end speech. Though Chennithala wanted to continue with his speech, the Speaker cancelled the submission and switched off the mike. 
 

 

Meanwhile, three Opposition MLAs began indefinite strike in protest against fee hike in self-financing medical colleges in the state. The MLAs are observing hunger strike on the premises of Kerala Assembly. Congress MLAs Shafi Parambil, Hibi Eden and Kerala Congress (J) representative Anoop Jacob are taking part in the strike. 
 

 

Pledging solidarity to those observing hunger strike, Muslim League MLAs N Shamsudhin and K M Shaji also started staging satyagraha in protest against the attitude of the government. 
 

 

The 24-hour dawn-to-dusk hartal turned violent with UDF activists pelting stones at the buses of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), at Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

KSRTC is not plying buses to rural areas affecting the movement of commuters in city suburbs.

 

The hartal supporters also blocked KSRTC bus in the city and deflated its tyres. They also blocked private vehicles including two-wheelers from plying in city.