INSIDE KERALA ASSEMBLY

UDF MLAs protest near Speaker's dais over 'starred' questions; Kerala Assembly session suspended

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly session was suspended on Monday after Opposition MLAs approached Speaker AN Shamseer's dais following his sharp attack on VD Satheesan and downgrading of critical questions submitted by UDF legislators. The suspension occurred despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan agreeing to an adjournment motion regarding his alleged remarks about Malappuram. Several UDF MLAs, including IC Balakrishnan, Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Uma Thomas, clashed with the Watch and Ward officers during the protest near the Speaker's dais.

A heated exchange erupted during the Kerala Assembly session on Monday, with Speaker AN Shamseer and Opposition Leader VD Satheesan at the centre of a tense confrontation. The session, which resumed on Monday, saw the Speaker and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launch a sharp attack on Satheesan. Shamseer openly questioned the Congress leader's control over his party’s MLAs, asking, "Who is the real Opposition Leader?"

The Chief Minister escalated the verbal assault, labelling Satheesan "one of the most immature, substandard Opposition Leaders in the history of the Kerala Assembly". 

"The Opposition Leader used derogatory language about the Speaker, the likes of which has never been seen in the history of this Assembly. Mutual respect must be maintained. He has proven himself to be a substandard Opposition Leader. His words show just how low the Opposition Leader can stoop. The Assembly rejects this with disdain. It cannot be accepted in any manner," said the Chief Minister.

The accusations raised by the Opposition Leader against the Speaker have been removed from the Assembly records. The Opposition protest was also not aired on Sabha TV.

Satheesan had accused the Legislative Secretariat of an unprecedented move to downgrade 49 priority questions submitted by Opposition legislators. These questions, touching on significant issues that have stirred public concern in Kerala, were downgraded from "starred" to "unstarred" status, meaning they would not receive direct replies during the Assembly session. Satheesan argued that this denied the Opposition the opportunity to question the Chief Minister directly on key matters. The Speaker, however, denied any wrongdoing, leading to Opposition MLAs raising slogans in protest and eventually boycotting the Question Hour in frustration.

The Assembly session began on Friday and was anticipated to be fraught with tension. The Congress-led Opposition had been preparing to challenge the ruling CPM over a range of issues, including the alleged disruption of the Thrissur Pooram festival and dissent within the Left Front coalition. Dissident legislator PV Anvar’s accusations against the government have further intensified the political climate.

The Opposition has also zeroed in on Chief Minister Vijayan over a meeting between ADGP MR Ajith Kumar and RSS leaders. The Congress and the CPI, a key Left ally, allege that the meeting was part of an effort by the police to help the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections. Kumar is suspected of playing a role in the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram festivities, which was allegedly to aid BJP candidate Suresh Gopi, who secured a significant victory in Thrissur. In response to the growing controversy, the state government has initiated a three-level investigation into Ajith Kumar's involvement in the Pooram disruption, one of which will be conducted by the state police chief.

The ruling CPM is also dealing with internal divisions, with Anvar accusing high-ranking police officials of gold smuggling. Anvar's direct attack on the Chief Minister has led to the CPM distancing itself from him. Assembly Speaker Shamseer has received a letter from CPM Parliamentary Party Secretary TP Ramakrishnan requesting that Anvar be removed from the CPM seating block in the Assembly.

The Chief Minister is facing further scrutiny over allegations that PR agencies were hired to arrange interviews for him, which he has denied. Additionally, remarks he allegedly made about Malappuram district concerning gold smuggling have drawn sharp criticism from the UDF.

Despite the contentious atmosphere, the 12th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly is primarily focused on legislative matters. Speaker Shamseer noted that the nine-day session would prioritize government business, with six days allocated to this purpose and two days reserved for private members' bills. Among the key bills to be considered are the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Kerala Cattle Breeding Bill, 2023, and amendments to the Kerala General Sales Tax Act and the Kerala Public Service Commission Act.

As the session progresses, the ongoing political drama between the Opposition and the ruling front is expected to continue, with both sides preparing for further confrontations on the floor of the Assembly.