Uproar in Assembly, opposition MLAs and Watch and Ward personnel clash at dias

THIRVANANATHAPURAM: The Kerala Assembly witnessed some dramatic scenes on Monday as opposition MLAs barged into the Speaker's dais and clashed with the Watch and Ward personnel following a heated argument between the Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader. Although an adjournment motion was scheduled for discussion, the House was adjourned beforehand.

The adjournment motion was scheduled for discussion from 12 pm onwards on notice given by Sunny Joseph related to the allegation that money that reaches Malappuram through hawala transactions and gold smuggling is being used for anti-national activities.

The issues started when the opposition boycotted the Question Hour in protest against the government's decision to convert 49 starred questions into unstarred ones, thereby avoiding direct answers in the assembly. As the opposition went outside the House, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister M.B. Rajesh criticized Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, calling him immature. Following this, Satheesan returned to the House and retorted by saying, "I pray daily that I don't become corrupt and lack integrity like the Chief Minister."

A visibly angered Pinarayi responded, saying that Satheesan should not assume that the public would believe any claim that Pinarayi Vijayan is corrupt. Satheesan then hit back saying that Pinarayi could see who truly lacks integrity by looking in the mirror. He also said that Pinarayi's anti-corruption speeches were like the devil preaching the scriptures. The opposition entered the well of the assembly and began shouting when the CM said that Satheesan was the embodiment of hypocrisy. The opposition leader's remarks against the Chief Minister were omitted by Sabha TV, while the CM's remarks against the opposition leader were displayed.

Tensions escalated when opposition members attempted to approach the Speaker's dais, leading to scuffles with the watch and ward staff. Opposition members Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Anwar Saadat, along with IC Balakrishnan, protested by holding a banner in front of the dais. The session quickly descended into chaos, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the Assembly for the day.