THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The assembly witnessed heated debates on Tuesday when the ruling and opposition fronts sparred over the incident in which a woman CPM councillor of Koothattukulam municipality was allegedly abducted by her party leaders.
The issue began with Kerala Congress (J) leader Anoop Jacob moving a notice for adjournment motion over the issue. Kala Raju, a CPM councillor, was reportedly abducted by her partymen just before the discussion of a no-confidence motion against the LDF-led municipal council.
In his address, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan blamed Kala Raju for the incident. “Several partymen have switched sides in the state. But can it be accepted if someone does it on the basis of some offers. Should she not join them after resigning?” he said. He said defections not befitting to democracy cannot be accepted. “That woman had some complaints. Police have taken steps on her complaint,” he added.
In his reply, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan criticised the CM for justifying the accused in a police case for kidnapping. He said the woman was subjected to cruelty, including manhandling and verbal abuses, by partymen. He asked the CM whether his view on defection was not applicable to people switching sides to the CPM.
A UDF member who switched sides to the LDF was made vice-president of Karumallur panchayat, he said. Irked by Satheesan’s criticism against the CM and police, ruling members rose in protest. Satheesan sought a direction from the Speaker to the ruling members to avoid disruption of his speech. The Speaker, however, said he was helpless following which the UDF walked out of the house.