THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) boycotted Assembly proceedings on Tuesday to protest the rejection of their adjournment motion seeking to discuss Payyannur CPI(M) martyr fund scam and the alleged attack on Congress workers during the violence that followed.
Speaker A N Shamseer ruled that the matter did not warrant a discussion through an adjournment motion and could instead be raised as a submission.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan sought to know the provisions under the rules of procedure for turning down the notice without attributing a valid reason. After a brief sloganeering in the well of the House, the Opposition boycotted proceedings for the day.
Later, while addressing a news conference, Satheesan alleged that the Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion to save the CPM and the Chief Minister who had gone on the defensive. He added that the CPM's attack, coming in the wake of its loss in the local body polls, was to send out a message that other political parties will not be allowed to function.
"The CPM is using state power to threaten people, amass illegal wealth and use it to encourage goons to muzzle Opposition voices," Satheesan said. He added that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also handling the Home portfolio, has no moral right to hold that office as he is shielding a councillor who was sentenced to 20 years for throwing a steel bomb on a police jeep.
Following 'serious revelations' by expelled CPM Kannur district committee member V Kunhikrishnan over financial irregularities committed by the party leadership related to collection of a martyrs’ fund, Satheesan hoped he does not meet the same fate as RMP leader TP Chadrasekharan who was murdered allegedly by CPM workers.
"The Chief Minister is shielding criminals and Kunhikrishnan's life is in danger. It is the responsibility of the police to protect him," Satheesan said. He also pointed out that CPM workers in Payyannur carried out a march on the martyrs' fund issue, disregarding the diktat of the party leadership. The two-wheeler belonging to one such worker was torched to intimidate the dissenting voices, he added.
"What is astonishing is that the CPM does not take any action on its leaders who are behind bars in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. But a person who spoke out against financial misappropriation in the party as a whistleblower was expelled within 24 hours. This exposes the decay within the CPM," he alleged.
