Attapadi infant deaths; Uproar in assembly over Minister Veena George's remark, House adjourned

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling party members and opposition locked horns in the Legislative Assembly over the child deaths in Attapadi. While replying to M Shamsudheen's urgent motion notice on the issue, Minister Veena George's remark that 'MLA should not only raise allegations, but also should visit the place' caused the uproar. Opposition members shouted slogans and entered the well of the House. The members of the ruling party also got up and there was a commotion. The Speaker then adjourned the House for 20 minutes. Even after the Speaker left, the shouting and arguing continued. The assembly adjourned at 10.50 am was reconvened at 11.10 am.

The urgent motion notice of Shamsudheen MLA about the death of a four-month-old baby in Murugala, Attapadi. In the incident the father carried the child's body for kilometres in the rain. He also blamed the government's negligence in this issue.

But Minister K. Radhakrishnan replied that there were transport facilities up to four kilometers away from Murugala village and the baby's body was brought till there in an ambulance. He said that the reason of death will be revealed in the post mortem report. The Opposition walked out of the house when Veena George replied to an allegation raised by V D Satheeshan about EMS hospital.