The Opposition members in the Assembly on Monday were reluctant to come out of their shells as they had left with very little ammunition to counter the attack against it from the treasury benches.
Inspired by the spirited speech by KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, the treasury benchers trained their guns on the Opposition. Chennithala said that it was time for the Left to repent their past sins.
“You have made a historic blunder by withdrawing support to the UPA and sidelined yourselves in the national politics. Vote for Pranab Mukherjee and repent your mistakes,’’ he told the Opposition. Apparently to pacify the official faction of the CPM, he said that both Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan were equally responsible for the disastrous decline of the CPM. ‘’Nobody is an angel,’’ he reminded them.
CPI Legislature Party leader C Divakaran, who came with an effective speech listing the failures of the government, charged that despite announcements in the budget, the government did not move an inch forward. On the health sector, there are over 1418 posts remaining vacant. He, however, differed with Chennithala on Pranab’s candidature. ‘’Pranab is an obedient servant of the multi-national corporations. There is no question of supporting him,’’ Divakaran said.
Coming down heavily on CPM for what he called its politics of violence, T A Mohammaed Kabeer of the Muslim League alleged that the CPM tried to instigate communal riot by taking the blood-stained cloth after murdering Fazal of Thalasseri to the nearby temple to mislead the people that RSS men were behind the murder.
“If my masjid is attacked by anyone, being a League leader, I would go directly to the nearby temple and guard it from any attack as I know temples should be protected to ensure the safety of the masjids,’’ he said.
A Pradeep Kumar of the CPM alleged double standard in the investigation into the murder cases. C P Muhammed of the Congress said that CPM was a house haunted by Satan. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, in his reply, denied the Opposition charge that despite the tall claims no mega development project announced in the budget had moved ahead. He pointed out that Smart City project and Kochi Metro were moving on a fast pace. Centre had already given the green signal to the Metro project and works had started six months back, he said.
On the decentralisation of power, the government had already cleared the demand for permitting the local bodies to have five year plan. He said whatever be the criteria for Centre’s BPL status, the State Government would not go back from providing benefits to the poor.
The Chief Minister also had an advise to the CPM members. ‘’No opponent can destroy a political party. Only the members of that political party can do it. It was not our criticism that landed you in trouble. It was your deed that had raised the challenges,’’ he said.
The House passed demand for grants for Rs 122.20 crore for Heads of States, Ministers and headquarters staff and Rs 121.41 crore for Administration of Justice.