THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid Opposition protests and a two-day boycotting of the House over the dollar smuggling case and the chief minister’s silence on the same, the second session of the 15th Kerala Assembly adjourned sine die. The short session, convened primarily for discussion on demand for grants and appropriation bill, witnessed heated political debates over a slew of issues.
Though the Opposition initially targeted two ministers— first A K Saseendran over the Kundara harassment issue and later V Sivankutty over Supreme Court remarks in the assembly bedlam case — Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remained firm and slammed the UDF for demanding their resignation. Though the Opposition staged a walkout from the House over the issues, it couldn’t quite corner the government.
There was even criticism within the UDF that Opposition leader V D Satheesan has been going soft on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. That’s when the UDF really turned the heat on the Left government over a slew of people’s issues — failed Covid control strategy, unscientific and illogical lockdown restrictions, the chief minister’s stubborn stance on the same, increasing Covid deaths and the health minister’s failure to give a clear reply to several issues, in addition to police excesses in the name of Covid control.
In the meantime, allegations levelled by Left independent K T Jaleel against P K Kunhalikutty and IUML leadership put the UDF in a spot. Ripples of the Karuvannur bank fraud involving CPM cadre and money laundering allegations against leaders too were felt in the assembly.
In the last two days of the session, the UDF however was able to make a clear political statement in the House, as it trained its guns on the chief minister and his silence on the dollar smuggling case. Boycotting the House for two consecutive days, the Opposition staged a parallel session in front of the Assembly on day one, while on the second day it formed an anti-corruption human wall in front of the House.
17-day session
During the 17-day session, a total of 14 notices seeking leave for adjournment motion came up before the House in addition to 29 calling attentions and 157 submissions. Of the total 6,264 written questions — excluding those withdrawn and rejected — that came up before the House, responses were given to 5,682 questions, while 582 are still pending. In view of paperless assembly concept, the House set up a panel under the Parliam-entary Affairs minister to come up with a report on modifications in proceedings. As far as legislative business is concerned, the House was able to discuss Kerala Science and Technology University Bill and refer the same to subject committee in addition to nine private bills.