THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The eighth session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly will resume on Monday after a two-week break. The Opposition is expected to rake up the ongoing controversy regarding the fraud in the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) and the alleged police atrocities against youth leaders of the UDF.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition on Sunday V D Satheesan wrote to Speaker A N Shamseer urging him to lift the ban on entry of mediapersons that was enforced as part of Covid restrictions. He also sought a probe by a special investigation team into the siphoning of funds from CMDRF. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation had recently unearthed widespread irregularities and misuse of the fund, with several ineligible people receiving the aid. The issue caused major embarrassment to the government and is expected to give it anxious moments in the assembly.
The Opposition is also expected to target the government over the injuries suffered by Youth Congress, KSU, and Youth League leaders in police action across the state in the past two weeks. The government’s decision to hike fuel cess had sparked a series of protests by the Opposition against the CM and ministers. The police enhanced security for the CM after various youth organisations waved black flags at him, leading to frequent tussles between the youth leaders and police.
Also, its spat with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is a cause for concern for the government. Khan is yet to give his nod to the government to present the Bill on restructuring of the temporary syndicate of the University of Calicut. The Bill was to be presented in the assembly on Monday. However, in the absence of the governor’s nod, it has been deferred much to the displeasure of the government.
The two-week break saw various subject committees being convened to scrutinise the demands for grants. The next 13 days from Tuesday have been set aside for discussions and passing of the demands for grants for the 2023-24’ fiscal year. Five days each have been set aside for government and private members’ business. Two appropriation Bills pertaining to the final supplementary demands for grants for 2022-23 and the current budget need to be passed in the session, which concludes on March 30.
In his letter to the speaker highlighting the restriction on media entry, Satheesan rued that even after Covid curbs were relaxed, media ban in the assembly continues. He urged the speaker to lift the ban lest it show the House in bad light. “In a democratic setup, the media is the fourth pillar. The beauty and the greatness of democracy are when all four pillars remain stronger and committed,” Satheesan said in the letter.