Five years ago, the atrocities and highhandedness committed by the then Opposition and the current ruling party, to prevent the presentation of the budget by K M Mani was total embarrassment to Kerala. A criminal case was later registered against a few of those who behaved in the same way. Some of those who committed atrocities against the dignity and law of the Assembly later became ministers. There are/*- MLA. The Left Democratic Front, which came to power with a large majority in the 2016 elections, naturally forgot the old things. The cases filed by the police against the leaders were also expected to be forgotten in due course. It was not that the accused didn’t try to close the case by filing an application as the rule was in their hands. However, the Thiruvananthapuram CJM court opposed the withdrawal of the case and initiated proceedings against those involved in the case, which was a major setback for the government. The single bench had yesterday dismissed a petition filed in the high court seeking permission to quash the CJM court order and withdraw the case. Ministers including E.P. Jayarajan and K.T. Leaders are facing the trial. Needless to say, the current turnaround in the case is causing a lot of annoyance to the leaders and the Left Front which is preparing to contest the new assembly elections.

The government has resorted to something completely immoral and illegal, citing the special powers of the legislature. Members have been charged with vandalism, trespassing and indecent exposure. The locals witnessed live the riots that took place inside the Assembly house that day.

The pandemonium was the one that lowered the dignity of the house. It is unacceptable for anyone with common sense to pretend that this is their right as members.
We must be prepared to accept the lawful punishment for the deeds that had degraded the church to the rock-bottom.
Attempts to evade it by force of authority are an affront to the law. Ministers and MLAs have been charged with vandalism and other offenses. Property worth over Rs 2 lakh was damaged that day. Defendants may be punished under the relevant provisions, no matter how small the loss is, when the law applicable to the destruction of public property is applied. The case against them cannot be dismissed as the defendants in this case were later ministers and members of society. There is no big or small person before the law. The perpetrators, no matter how high-ranking, are legally liable to receive punishment. It is also necessary to enhance the faith of the people in the law.

The government has also argued in the high court that the case was registered against the members not with the permission of the speaker. Why is the Speaker’s permission needed to file a case against those who committed atrocities and destroyed public property in an eye-witness event across the country? How can the special powers guaranteed by the Constitution to the Speaker and members of the House be interpreted as the right to commit atrocities? It is a fact that the case against the members was not related to the discharge of duty. While acknowledging that riots and pandemonium is commonplace in the Assembly and Parliament today, the events that took place in the Kerala Legislative Assembly during the presentation of the Budget on March 13, 2015 were unparalleled. Let us not forget that those who are to set an example to the people have committed atrocities without decency.
It must be remembered that the protection afforded by the Constitution to members is not the permission to commit crimes in the Assembly. If you do wrong, you will be punished for it. The argument that those in power should be taken lightly if they make a mistake is childish and unconventional. All the actions taken to prevent K M Mani from presenting the budget were against the law, the dignity of the Assembly and, above all, morality. Just because it happened inside the legislative house does not mean it is not a crime. It should also be considered as an insult to the public, given that the government pays money from the treasury to save the criminals. Those who want to conduct the trial should do so at their own expense. Meanwhile, a minister has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court's single bench verdict. No one can question his right to it. But the cost for the legal procedures should be borne entirely by those involved in the case. It is immoral to use the tax money given by the public for that too. Many such instances of misappropriation of public funds are taking place but it’s not at all the right thing.