THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The deadlock between the opposition and the ruling party continued a day after the violent clashes inside the Kerala Legislative Assembly. On Thursday, the Speaker AN Shamseer concluded the house proceedings in 15- minutes as the Opposition MLAs continued their protest. The Speaker began the proceedings with a reconciliatory approach.
However, the Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan made it clear that the Speaker should take action against two CPM MLAs and the deputy chief marshal of the ‘watch and ward’ staff for assaulting the UDF MLAs while staging a protest outside the office of the Speaker on March 15.
He also wanted the Speaker to respect the rights of the Opposition to move an adjournment motion under Rule 50 in the wake of repeated denial of these rights on flimsy grounds.
The Speaker however chose to give a detailed ruling later. He decided to continue the proceedings as the opposition entered with placards and sloganeering. The Speaker then rushed through the proceedings and wrapped it up in 15 minutes.
A day after the violence in the assembly both sides hardened their stance. Even the conciliatory talks initiated by the Speaker ahead of the question hour failed to break the deadlock.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the adjournment motion on the violent scuffle witnessed in the Assembly on Wednesday cannot be allowed, during the parliamentary party meeting. RMP MLA, KK Rema, who was injured in the scuffle, gave the notice for adjournment motion.
A war of words erupted between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition Leader VD Satheesan at the meeting.
Pinarayi maintained that an adjournment motion could not be allowed on every issue. However, Satheesan said the approval was a precondition for the smooth functioning of the assembly.
The Speaker started the question hour by reminding the opposition of the incidents on Wednesday. He said it was an unfortunate and unprecedented incident. He reminded the Opposition that the chair did not take any action against UDF MLAs for holding a mock assembly for recording the visuals of Wednesday's scuffle. Satheesan retorted that the protest was a satyagraha for denying opposition rights and the capturing visuals on mobile happened because Sabha TV, the official channel, was acting partisan.