UDF lawmakers walk out of Kerala Assembly over arrest of Sabarinadhan

A day after Congress leader K S Sabarinadhan was arrested in connection with the in-flight protest against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the opposition UDF on Wednesday tried to raise the issue in the Assembly, but the speaker did not allow their notice for adjournment motion citing House rules, following which they staged a walk-out.

Alleging that the police tried to mislead even the court and arrested the former MLA slapping serious charges, Shafi Parambil (Congress) sought a notice for an adjournment motion demanding a discussion over the matter during the Zero Hour.

However, Law Minister P Rajeev, who raised a point of order against it, said the matter was not of any serious nature to be raised as an adjournment motion in the House.

''It is a matter under the consideration of the court. So it is a violation of rules and proceedings to raise on the floor of the House,'' he said, objecting to the opposition notice.

Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar, who chaired the House during the time, accepted the ruling front's arguments and rejected the demand by the Congress-UDF.

He also said the opposition could bring the issue as a submission in the House later in the day.

Strongly protesting the speaker's decision, leader of opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said the House had the precedence of discussing several issues including the Solar scam row in the past despite it was under the consideration of the court. Later, the UDF members walked out of the House in protest against denial of permission to present the notice for adjournment motion. Sabarinadhan, a two-time former legislator and the vice president of the state Youth Congress, was arrested on Tuesday for plotting the alleged attempt on the life of CM on-board an Indigo aircraft that landed here, last month.

However, a court granted him bail. Sabarinadhan has denied charges that he took part in the conspiracy to target the CM inside the aircraft.