THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: RMP leader and MLA KK Rema on Tuesday gave a breach of privilege notice against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for deliberately misleading the house in connection with the UAPA cases in the state.
To a query by Rema last week, Pinarayi replied that details of UAPA cases can’t be revealed as the issue of national security is involved. Rema, in her notice moved under Section 154 of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, pointed out previous occasions when data of UAPA cases had been provided as answers to questions raised in the assembly.
Speaking to TNIE, Rema said: “Even in the previous session of the 15th legislative assembly, the chief minister had provided details of UAPA cases chargesheeted in the state to queries raised by members of the assembly. When I raised almost the same questions in the present session, the CM cited national security to not answer them.
This cannot be accepted as it is an infringement on the rights of the member and amounts to misleading the house by not disclosing the details citing lame excuses.” Answering Rema’s unstarred question on the number of people charged under UAPA during the previous term of his government and their details, Pinarayi said, “The details of accused in cases pertaining to national security and which are under consideration of special courts cannot be revealed.”