BJP councilor suspended for allegedly assaulting Thiruvananthapuram Corporation deputy mayor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There was a commotion in the council meeting demanding that the issue of tax evasion be discussed in the corporation. The mayor has suspended BJP councilor VG Girikumar for allegedly assaulting the deputy mayor during the fuss.

BJP members had demanded that the issue of tax evasion be discussed in detail at today's council meeting. But the mayor refused to accept this demand. BJP members then staged a sit-in protest. Girikumar, a BJP member, has been suspended for allegedly assaulting the deputy mayor during the commotion.

Opposition parties have started protesting at the corporation demanding the withdrawal of action including the suspension of the BJP member. The party has decided to continue protesting until the suspension is lifted.

The BJP had demanded that criminal action be taken against the officials involved in the tax evasion and that the names of the 11 officials involved in the tax evasion be revealed. BJP councilor Girikumar said that the ruling party was taking steps to help the officials and that he approached the deputy mayor, who had made obscene remarks against him, asking him to speak politely which was then twisted and portrayed as assault. "The next council meeting should reveal who the suspended officer is in connection with the tax evasion. Otherwise, that official can approach the court against the suspended action. The ruling party has not even included this issue in the agenda to help the officer who committed tax evasion," Girikumar said.