The Kerala Assembly session, which got underway on January 23, was adjourned sine die on Tuesday, March 21. As per the original schedule, the present session was to end on March 30. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved a motion to cut short the Assembly session this morning. According to sources, the decision was taken as the Congress-led opposition has been on a warpath since last week after their request to seek leave for moving an adjournment motion was constantly shot down by the Speaker AN Shamseer.
When the Assembly met in the morning, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said that despite several requests they were not allowed to discuss about seven of their MLAs, including two women, being slapped with false cases, and also to get back the right of the opposition to move adjournment motions. "Since there has been no effort to resolve the impasse of the House from any quarters, five of their legislators will start an indefinite protest in the well of the House," said Satheesan.
Veteran opposition legislator and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunhalikutty said that it was most unfortunate that there has been no effort to end this impasse on the part of the Chief Minister, who is the leader of the House. Reacting to this, Shamseer said that unprecedented scenes are being witnessed and even the Speaker has come under attack. But Shamseer’s pleas went unheard and the opposition began their protests. Unable to go forward, CM Pinarayi Vijayan rose and presented the motion to guillotine and after it was passed, the days listed business was done in a flash and the Speaker announced that the present session of the House has come to a close.
Speaking to the media outside the House, Satheesan said that if the genuine needs of the legislators are not being met, he pities the situation of the common man. "The treasury bench, especially a few ministers, should get their facts right as they were saying that this is the first time that the opposition is staging indefinite protests in the well of the House. In 1974, the then Leader of Opposition, the legendary EMS Namboodiripad and later VS Achuthanandan had held indefinite protests. The performance of Pinarayi Vijayan is appalling and if he thinks he can behave like an autocrat, then he is mistaken and we will not succumb to his tactics," said Satheesan.