Kerala CM slams UDF opposition disruption of assembly session

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday flayed the Congress-led UDF-opposition for disrupting the assembly proceedings through sloganeering and not coming forward to discuss the adjournment motion moved by it over the vandalism of MP Rahul Gandhi's office in Wayanad allegedly by SFI activists.

Terming such a stand of the opposition, of moving an adjournment motion in the House and then not being ready to discuss it, as never seen before in the history of the assembly, Vijayan questioned the need for such conduct of the Congress and UDF.

The CM was speaking to reporters after the assembly session was adjourned for the day.

He said that despite repeated attempts by the Speaker, M B Rajesh, to discuss the adjournment notice after the assembly session was reconvened, the opposition was not ready to discuss it and thereafter, they aired their grievances outside the House before the media.

He also said what was seen in the House was an opposition which was not ready to follow the democratic process and such conduct was 'unacceptable.' As the opposition had not discussed the vandalism incident in the House, Vijayan decided to address the issue in the press conference and alleged that what happened in the assembly was just a part of UDF's recent political mischief to disrupt the functioning of the state government.

Referring to the vandalism incident, he said that everyone in CPI(M) from the district level to the state secretariat had condemned the attack and the LDF government also took immediate action as seen from the suspension of the senior officer in-charge of the area as well as arrest of SFI workers, including women.

However, the Congress has used the opportunity to create a riot-like atmosphere as many CPI(M) offices as well as the Wayanad office of party mouthpiece Deshabhimani were attacked and vandalised by the Congress workers, the CM alleged.

Vijayan also rejected Congress' claims that the attack on Gandhi's office was carried out to appease Sangh Parivar and BJP, saying that it was Congress which had a similar viewpoint like that of BJP and not the CPI(M).

He claimed that the left party has been always opposing the Sangh Parivar agenda, unlike the Congress which has bent its knees before the BJP.

The CM said that the principles and culture of Congress was evident from its conduct of not condemning the alleged attack on him on board an aircraft by Youth Congress workers and the killing of an SFI student in Idukki a few months ago.

Vijayan alleged the Congress has a history of protecting its workers who engage in violence and it only serves to encourage more violent outbursts by its members.

However, the CPI(M) does not endorse or encourage violence by its workers and takes action against those who are involved in such activities, he claimed.

Regarding the Mahatma Gandhi photograph, which was also allegedly vandalised in the attack on Rahul Gandhi's office, Vijayan said that the picture was on the wall unharmed after the alleged attack by SFI activists and after the media persons' video recordings.

It was after that the photograph was found vandalised on the floor and indicated a symbolic killing of the father of the nation similar to his actual assassination by Nathuram Godse, Vijayan claimed.

He said that such conduct also indicated the political bankruptcy and lack of good intentions of Congress.

The fifth session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday after the opposition members started shouting slogans demanding action in connection with the vandalism of Rahul Gandhi's office.

Speaking to reporters outside the assembly gates, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan said that UDF had given a notice to discuss the attack on Rahul Gandhi's office and raised slogans regarding that in the House.

However, the ruling front tried to suppress the voice of the opposition and also raised slogans which were provocative in nature which led to the further disruption of the House proceedings, he alleged.

The fifth session was expected to take a turbulent turn as the opposition led by the Congress was equipped with enough ammunition, ranging from the startling revelations by a key accused in the gold smuggling case against Chief Minister Vijayan to the vandalisation of Rahul Gandhi's office, to take on the CPI(M)-led LDF government.