THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition front on Friday boycotted the assembly proceedings for the day demanding resignation of General education minister V Sivankutty in connection with the assembly ruckus case.
The front decided to boycott the proceedings during the question hour itself after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remained firm on his decision that the minister would not step down.
When the House convened at 9 am, the Opposition front disrupted the proceedings by raising slogans seeking the removal of Sivankutty. Though Speaker MB Rajesh appealed the opposition to remain calm, his efforts went in vain.
However the proceedings started amidst slogan rising from the opposition benches. Forest Minister AK Saseendran started giving answers to the written questions from Congress legislators PT Thomas and Roji M John on the Muttil tree-felling case. The opposition legislators disrupted and Thomas said he won't ask the question until the chair allow Opposition leader V D Satheeshan to speak. Other UDF legislators too seconded him.
Following this Speaker allowed VD Satheeshan to speak. The Opposition Leader wanted to know why the government was protecting the minister, even after he is accused in a criminal case. Satheeshan pointed out the Chief Minister's action amounts to disrespect to the Supreme Court verdict, as the verdict of the apex court is considered to be the 'law of the land'.
To which chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again made it categorically clear that minister V Sivankutty will not be replaced. He accused the UDF of going for a police complaint rather than not letting the incident getting resolved under the purview of the assembly rules and proceeding. The police case in the assembly ruckus was unprecedented, he pointed out.
Responding to Chief Minister, Satheeshan said Chief minister was wrong and there were police cases registered before also, in the erstwhile assembly in the state and in other states like Punjab.
Later, the Speaker decided to proceed with the question hour amid protest slogans from the opposition side. At 9.30 am, the Opposition leader requested the Speaker to allow him to speak and announced that the Opposition has decided to boycott the session for the day.
Meanwhile, minister Sivankutty was absent in the assembly on Friday too.