THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition on Monday walked out of the Assembly after Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes A K Balan refused to apologise for his controversial remarks on infant deaths among the tribal people.Congress member P T Thomas raised a point of order demanding to expunge the remarks made by Balan from the Assembly records. Though the Speaker agreed to look into the issue, the House witnessed heated arguments between the ruling and Opposition members.
Claiming that there was nothing wrong in his remarks, Balan alleged conspiracy and stated that his comments were taken out of context to kick up a row days after the comment was made. He said he had not made any comments to insult any community and urged the Speaker to examine it. He also justified his comment that he cannot “take responsibility of women who became pregnant during the UDF Government’s tenure”. Being a person who was born in a backward class, Balan said, he had great concern and affection for the marginalised communities.
“It was the previous LDF Government which gave 31,000 acres of land to 25,000 families as part of the Forest Rights Act,” he said.