THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran’s speech, which reportedly criticised the announcement of huge infrastructure projects through Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), became fodder for the Opposition to attack the government in the Assembly on Tuesday. Alleging the government had lost its collective responsibility, the Opposition staged a walkout after permission was denied to move an adjournment motion on the matter.
Earlier, the Speaker summarily rejected the notice for adjournment motion by terming the issue as irrelevant. However, V D Satheesan of the Congress was later allowed to present it in the form of a submission. This, after fierce protests by Opposition MLAs who accused the Speaker of denying them the right to raise serious issues in the Assembly.
Launching a scathing attack against the government, Satheesan, in his submission, read out media reports on Sudhakaran’s controversial speech. He also sought the Speaker’s permission to lay on the table of the House a CD of the speech telecast by a news channel.
The Congress MLA said the collective responsibility of the government had collapsed and Sudhakaran’s speech only served to expose it. Calling Sudhakaran an untainted leader, Satheesan cleverly put the Chief Minister in the dock by stating the Works Minister might have withdrawn his statement after Pinarayi’s intervention.Pinarayi said the Opposition was suffering from a dearth of real issues as Sudhakaran had already denied the report.