THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The assembly session adjourned for the day after Opposition legislators staged major protest inside the House demanding an apology from MM Mani for his remarks against KK Rema of UDF. Speaker MB Rajesh went for an early adjournment, hardly 10 minutes after the session began at 9 am, after the UDF legislators moved to the well of the House with placards demanding Mani's apology. However, MM Mani was not present in the House on Friday.
On Thursday. CPM legislator MM Mani made an unkind remark against KK Rema, MLA, widow of slain RMP leader TP Chandrasekharan during the discussion on grant demand. Mani said " She became a widow due to her fate” and that “we are not responsible for it”. Mani refused to budge on the Opposition’s demand for an apology and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan supported Mani. Mani’s outburst reflected the treasury bench’s anger against Rema for her scathing criticism against the police and its minister Pinarayi in the same discussion. She said the “police system was sterilised by party workers".
On Friday, when the session began and the Speaker started the question and answer proceedings, Opposition leader VD Satheesan stood up and demanded an apology from MM Mani. Satheesan said that the remarks made by Mani are misogynistic. He pointed out that the death of TP Chandrasekaran was due to the "verdict of the CPM's court".
"The remarks made by Mani are extremely misogynistic. He should apologise. But what made it more critical is the justification of his remarks by the chief minister, " Satheesan said.
Following this, Law minister P Rajeeve replied to the opposition leader. He said the CPM has nothing to do with the death of TP Chandrasekharan. "CPM is not responsible for the death of Chandrasekharan. Also, there were no unparliamentary remarks made by Mani. So an apology is not needed, " Rajeeve said.
The Speaker soon intervened and recalled two past incidents including similar remarks made by an Opposition legislator on the Chief Minister. "When an opposition legislator made a similar remark, the ruling front demanded an apology. However, the opposition did not make any apology and it ended as usual. As far as the chair is concerned, Mani did not use any unparliamentary words; hence, there is no need to remove his statement from assembly records. The chair cannot intervene in this issue anymore," Rajesh said.
After his statement, the Speaker resumed the question and answer session and asked Excise minister MV Govindan to answer the question by Daleema. However, the opposition legislators moved to the well of the House with placards and raised slogans against MM Mani. This forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day after rushing through the proceedings.
Speaking to media persons after coming outside the House, the Opposition leader said that Pinarayi Vijayan was the judge of the CPM's court which gave the verdict of "death punishment" to TP Chandrasekharan. "CPM is creating widows in Kerala and making children orphans. So either Mani or the party should withdraw the statement immediately, " Satheesan said. Deputy opposition leader MK Muneer also echoed the statement of Satheesan. Later, KK Rema told mediapersons that Mani was absent in the House because of the dire consequences.