Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 22 (PTI): Proceedings of the Kerala Assembly were disrupted on Thursday as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) mounted a protest demanding the resignation of state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan over the alleged loss of gold at the Sabarimala temple.
As the House assembled after obituary references and the announcement of the panel of chairpersons, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan informed Speaker A N Shamseer that the UDF’s protest on the Sabarimala gold loss issue was continuing from the previous session, during which the opposition had boycotted proceedings.
“Since our protest demanding the minister’s resignation is still on, we will not be able to cooperate with the House,” Satheesan said.
Soon after, UDF legislators moved into the well of the House, holding placards and a banner in front of the Speaker’s dais, accusing the ruling CPI(M) of “looting” the Sabarimala shrine. They continued shouting slogans despite repeated directions from the Speaker to maintain order and remove the banner.
Reacting sharply, Parliamentary Affairs and Excise Minister M B Rajesh accused the opposition of deliberately avoiding a substantive discussion on the issue.
“They have the option of moving a motion to adjourn the House and debate the matter. But they are afraid to discuss it. That is why they resort to shouting slogans and holding placards. This only shows their cowardice,” Rajesh said, as sloganeering by opposition members continued.
Rajesh further alleged that the UDF’s slogan — questioning who stole Lord Ayyappa’s gold — should instead be directed at UDF convener Adoor Prakash, and if unsatisfied, at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Terming the protest a “drama”, he said it was being staged now because the Kerala High Court has ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team into irregularities dating back to the period when the UDF was in power.
“Placards and banners are not your monopoly. From tomorrow, we too can display them,” the minister said, adding that photographic evidence allegedly linked the thief and the buyer of the stolen gold in a single frame.
Rajesh also dragged the ongoing debate on employment schemes into the confrontation, claiming that the MGNREGA was enacted due to pressure from the Left during the first UPA government. He alleged that the opposition had disrupted proceedings to avoid discussion on the impact of replacing MGNREGA with the VB-RAM G scheme on livelihoods in Kerala.
“The opposition is protesting to save another Gandhi. For them, that Gandhi matters more than Mahatma Gandhi,” he remarked.
The confrontation escalated further when General Education Minister V Sivankutty, attempting to respond to a submission amid the din, raised slogans alleging that the gold was stolen by the Congress. He demanded that Sonia Gandhi be arrested and questioned, making provocative remarks that drew sharp reactions from the opposition.
As sloganeering continued, legislators from the ruling front moved closer to the well of the House, heightening tensions. Despite the disorder, the Speaker allowed House business to continue, even as the UDF maintained its protest demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister Vasavan.
Category: Breaking News
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