THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 10th session of the 14th Legislative Assembly was marred by disruptions as the Opposition UDF demanded a CBI probe into the death of Youth Congress leader S L Shuhaib, who was allegedly hacked to death by CPM men in Mattannur on February 12. The government’s refusal led to the suspension of listed proceedings on day one.
There was drama outside the House as well as Youth Congress activists, who took out a Secretariat march, clashed with the police. The pitched battle culminated in the bursting of teargas shells, leaving the capital tense for a couple of hours. Youth Congress state president and vice-president, who had been fasting for the past eight days, were shifted to the Medical College Hospital.
Amid the pandemonium, Question Hour was suspended. When the House met again for Zero Hour, a notice for an adjournment motion continued to echo the Opposition ire. Backtracking from the assurance by Law Minister A K Balan after the failed peace meet in Kannur recently that the government is open for a CBI probe, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan turned down the demand, maintaining that the probe by the police is progressing well and the government was keen to put an end to political violence.
UDF members were in a belligerent mood and protested from the start of the session and Question Hour itself. The Opposition refused to ask questions and displayed banners blaming the government for Shuhaib’s murder, the lynching of tribal youth Madhu and the death of IUML worker Safeer in Mannarkad. Members moved to the front of the Speaker’s podium and a few also sat in the well. Soon, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan suspended Question Hour. Journalists were asked to vacate the media gallery.
When the House assembled for Zero Hour, the CM replied to the notice for an adjournment motion given by Congress member Sunny Joseph, asserting that “the Shuhaib murder was quite deplorable and all political parties should strive hard to put an end to the politics of violence and killings”.
Pinarayi mentioned that there was a case against Shuhaib a month prior to his murder, and also named the youths taken into custody, but skipped their CPM links as well as the fact the first two accused were facing similar charges in another murder case too.