THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A nearly four-hour-long adjournment debate in the assembly on ADGP M R Ajith Kumar’s controversial meeting with RSS leaders, which was conspicuous by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s absence, ended in a walkout by the Opposition against the government’s alleged ‘sidestepping’ of the contentious topic.
The CM, who had surprised the Opposition by agreeing to discuss their adjournment motion for the second consecutive day, skipped the debate as doctors advised him voice rest.
This virtually took the sting off the Opposition’s attack as it had planned to corner Pinarayi on the ADGP-RSS meet and his purported remarks on the people of Malappuram.
IUML’s P K Shamsudeen, who moved the adjournment motion, hinted at the “coincidence” behind the CM’s sudden illness ahead of the motion. Speaker A N Shamseer and LDF MLAs objected to his remark, prompting the MLA to go on the back foot.
Meanwhile, LDF constituent CPI made no bones of its displeasure with the ADGP-RSS meeting. CPI E Chandrasekharan termed the meeting a ‘serious issue’ and said its motives were being probed. Acknowledging that the CPI had demanded shifting the IPS officer from law and order duties, Chandrasekharan was careful to underline there was no basis in linking the CM with the meeting.
Attempting to put the CM in the dock, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan alleged that the ADGP was Pinarayi’s “link with the Sangh Parivar”, who was deputed to carry out the “CM’s political assignments”.
Alleging an “unholy alliance” between CPM leaders in Kerala and the BJP, Satheesan said the ADGP’s meetings were to reach a compromise on the cases being probed by central agencies.
Satheesan also took strong exception to the attempts to brand the people of Malappuram as “funders of anti-national activities” through an interview facilitated by a PR agency. Accusing the CM of repeating a “Sangh Parivar narrative” with the remarks, Satheesan dared Pinarayi to lodge a case against the PR agency if the words were not his.
IUML’s P K Kunhalikutty wondered if the CPM was playing a “different card” with the Malappuram remark. He cautioned the CPM that it was the same card played by the Sangh Parivar all along, and following their narrative would have far-reaching implications.
Left-backed independent MLA K T Jaleel’s words often infuriated Opposition MLAs who trooped to the well of the House twice. His personal remark against an IUML legislator and an unparliamentary response to it were expunged.
LSG Minister M B Rajesh, who spoke on behalf of the CM, said there was no evidence to exonerate the ADGP nor there was enough proof to substantiate the allegations against him. In such a scenario, the action taken against him was the best option before the government. Rajesh also dared Satheesan to prove in the assembly his claim that the intelligence wing of the state police had reported the ADGP-RSS meeting to the CM.
On the controversial interview that contained the Malappuram remarks attributed to the CM, Rajesh said the newspaper that carried the interview had admitted its mistake and tendered an apology.
“You are trying to create an impression that Communists are anti-Muslim. While our DNA is against Sangh Parivar, yours is of subservience to them,” Rajesh said.
ASSEMBLY WARNS 4 UDF MLAS FOR UNRULY BEHAVIOUR
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The assembly passed a resolution warning UDF MLAs Mathew Kuzhalnadan, I C Balakrishnan, Anvar Sadath and Sajeev Joseph, who had stepped on the speaker’s podium during the Opposition’s protests on Monday. Moving the resolution, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh said the MLAs’ behaviour violated parliamentary decorum. The Opposition made light of the issue by maintaining similar protests had happened earlier too.