Opposition protests in Kerala Assembly over dismissal of adjournment motion on parole

UDF MLAs staged a protest inside the Kerala Assembly on Monday after the Speaker rejected an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on parole granted to convicted prisoners. Replying to the allegations, Local Self Government Minister M B Rajesh said parole was granted to Nishad on January 8, but the issue was not raised when the Assembly session began last month.

UDF MLAs staged a protest inside the Kerala Assembly on Monday after the Speaker rejected an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on parole granted to convicted prisoners. The adjournment motion was moved by Revolutionary Marxist Party of India MLA KK Rema, who alleged that several convicts, including those recently sentenced, were granted parole and released from jail. However, Speaker A M Samseer dismissed the motion, saying the issue was not of urgent importance and could be raised as a submission. Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan questioned the rejection of the notice, alleging that criminals were being illegally granted parole and were creating law-and-order issues outside. ''If the government is not interested in holding a discussion on an issue, why is such a provision created? Is it not important that criminals are being released onto the streets,'' he asked. Satheesan pointed out that CPI(M) leader and Payyannur municipal councillor V K Nishad, who was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in December last year, was granted parole a month later. Replying to the allegations, Local Self Government Minister M B Rajesh said parole was granted to Nishad on January 8, but the issue was not raised when the Assembly session began last month. ''Such a motion has been brought as the Opposition is facing a dearth of subjects to raise in the Assembly,'' he alleged. Rajesh also claimed that during the Oommen Chandy government, a convict in the T P Chandrasekharan murder case was granted a reduction in sentence. Later, Opposition MLAs raised placards, prompting the Speaker to say that printed materials were brought into the House after they realised the motion would not be admitted. ''They do not want the issue to be discussed in the Assembly,'' Samseer said. Following this, Opposition MLAs entered the well of the house and raised banners protesting the granting of parole to convicted prisoners, shouting slogans. However, proceedings at the house continued even after the protest.

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