KERALA ASSEMBLY CPI (M) MLAS SUSPENDED

KERALA ASSEMBLY CPI (M) MLAS SUSPENDED

Speaker G. Karthikeyan on Monday released the video footages of the unsavoury happenings in the Assembly on October 14 and 17,2011.The first video has the recordings of the protest launched by Opposition members in the House on Friday. The footage shows CPI(M) members T.V. Rajesh and James Mathew trying to push through a cordon formed by the Watch and Ward towards the Speaker's podium. However, it does not show Mr. Rajesh beating the woman member of the Watch and Ward as alleged. While what exactly happened to her cannot be seen, she is seen moving aside without her cap.

Mr Rajesh & Mr. Mathew

The second video shows Monday's proceedings that led to the suspension of both Mr. Rajesh and Mr. Mathew. While the statement made by the Speaker could be clearly heard, the alleged shouts of Mr. Rajesh and others at the Speaker could not be heard clearly. The recordings also show the moving of the motion for suspension of the two members by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and its adoption by a voice vote.

The release of the footages marks a turnaround for the House as it had refused to release recordings in the past on the ground that these do not form official records of the proceedings. It had initiated proceedings for breach of privilege last year against the then State Chief Information Commissioner Palat Mohandas for ordering the release of some recordings under the Right to Information Act. (However, no action has been taken against Mr. Mohandas though the Committee on Privileges of the House had summoned him.)

The situation changed after the present government came to power. A video recording was examined in the presence of the media when the Opposition contested whether the ruling front had a majority in the House at the time of the voting on the Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill early this year. On Monday, the recordings were released to the media. Besides, the Chief Minster has favoured live coverage of the proceedings on television in the future. Opposition launches indefinite sit-in in the well of the House
The stand-off between the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Kerala Assembly boiled over on Monday with the House suspending two CPI(M) members for two days. The motion seeking their suspension was moved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy after Speaker G. Karthikeyan gave his ruling on the turbulent scenes in the Assembly on Friday as the Opposition members rushed into the well of the House to protest against the delay in action being taken against the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) at Calicut who had used his service revolver to fire at agitating Students Federation of India (SFI) activists last Monday.
The ruling front had accused the two CPI(M) legislators, T. V. Rajesh and James Mathew, of having manhandled a woman sergeant assistant in the well of the House. However, the Opposition had rejected the charge and accused the watch and ward of the House of having assaulted Mr. Rajesh. The woman sergeant assistant was admitted to hospital, but Mr. Rajesh strongly denied the charge and broke down before the media as he explained his case.
After protracted discussions lasting nearly five hours, the Speaker said that there was no evidence in the video recording of the proceedings to show that the CPI(M) member had misbehaved with the woman sergeant. There was a melee, that was all, he said. However, when he said that the two CPI(M) members had expressed regrets for their action, Mr. Mathew was up violently protesting against the Speaker’s observation. Soon, the Chief Minister too was on his feet with the resolution seeking suspension of Mr. Mathew and Mr. Rajesh till the end of the session on Tuesday. All hell broke loose once the decision to suspend the Opposition members was taken. The Opposition members were once again up with their protest and moved into the well of the House and the Speaker was forced to rush through the business listed for the day.

The Opposition members continued their sit-in in the well of the House even after the Assembly rose for the day and Leader of the Opposition V. S. Achuthanandan announced at a news conference at the media room of the Assembly that the sit-in would continue indefinitely. Almost simultaneously, Mr. Chandy and his senior Cabinet colleagues told another news conference that the government had tried its best to find an amicable solution to the standoff and that a solution became impossible only because of the intransigence shown by the Opposition.

Even as the tumultuous events were played out in the Assembly, pro-LDF organisations launched an agitation outside the House. Among those to hit the streets of the capital city were activists of the DYFI and other various other mass organisations allied to the Opposition parties.

                                                                     Prof. John Kurakar