KOCHI: Eight councillors, including the Thrikkakara Municipal chairperson, were hospitalised with minor injuries after the budget discussion at the Council Hall turned into a 'battlefield' on Tuesday. The stormy budget session was similar to the infamous brawl that occurred in the Kerala Assembly in 2015 when the then Finance Minister K M Mani was about to present the budget. The session was disrupted soon after it began at 11 am and resulted in members attacking each other.
Most of the members suffered injuries during the brawl. Chairperson K K Neenu suffered an injury to her hand. Opposition councillor P M Salim was hit on his head by a microphone while vice chairman Sabu Francis, standing committee chairpersons Jijo Thengumthara and Mary Kurien, members Rafeek Pootheli and Aisha Anwar also suffered injuries.
The problem began with the Opposition demanding a voting session to approve the budget. CPM rebel M M Nazar, who had aligned with the ruling front, also joined the Opposition. With this, the Opposition said the ruling front had lost its majority and the budget presented by the vice chairman cannot be approved without voting.
The ruling front councillors tried to defend and the verbal fight quickly turned into a physical clash.
The pandemonium continued till 12 noon. Though the chairperson tried to calm the members down, her efforts did not succeed. Soon, she left her chair, declaring that the budget was approved.
The Opposition councillors tried to stop her from leaving the hall, which further intensified the brawl.
Later, a letter signed by 22 members, including the CPM rebel was handed over to the Municipal secretary to declare the budget void.
Clash of titans
During the discussion, the Opposition demanded a voting session to approve the budget
The discussion turned violent with ruling front councillors defending the budget
A letter signed by 22 councillors of the Opposition to declare the budget void was handed over to the municipal secretary