Opposition stage protest and walkout accusing Kerala Speaker of being govt’s puppet
The Opposition had protested and staged a walkout following Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan denying permission for an urgent resolution against Kannur’s CPM members who had issued death threats to IUML workers.
MLA Sunny M Joseph had presented the resolution according to section 50 of the Rules of Procedure. He told the Speaker that the CPM members had issued death threats, and the local police have refused to take action. He added that this has created a law and order issue in the district. The Speaker did not even allow the presentation of the notice, claiming that the issue is limited to a regional space and as such, it is not a matter of urgent importance to the public.
The opposition had alleged that the Kerala police are showing reluctance to arrest the party members, as the UDF members gathered near the centre to protest the Speaker’s decision. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that this situation is “evidence to the fact that the Speaker is a puppet to the government, who had spent crores from the budget to protect the accused in the murder of Kripesh and Sharath Lal”.
On Tuesday, several CPM workers, at a rally, threatened to kill IUML and Congress members, while reiterating that they have already done it before. This was at an event organised to welcome the CPM activists who were arrested for violence during the local body polls. They shouted that they would “kill IUML members and drape their bodies with a green cover”.
However, senior party members denied responsibility, claiming that these were the actions of several youngsters “celebrating the release of their friends”. They added that not even the local area secretary was aware of the issue. Meanwhile, Congress and Muslim League members have told media that such processions usually lead to violence in the district, mostly by the red party. However, regardless of the scale of the issue, the police are yet to take any action against the perpetrators.
