Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, June 27, flayed the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) opposition for disrupting the Assembly proceedings through sloganeering. He also slammed them for not wanting to discuss the adjournment movement — which the opposition had raised — over the vandalism of MP Rahul Gandhi’s office in Wayanad allegedly by Student Federation of India (SFI) activists. Terming this stand — of moving an adjournment motion in the House and then not being ready to discuss it — as “never seen before in the history of the Assembly”, CM Pinarayi questioned the reason behind the Congress and UDF’s conduct.
Addressing reporters after the Assembly session was adjourned for the day, the CM said that despite repeated attempts by the Speaker MB Rajesh to discuss the adjournment notice after the Assembly session was reconvened, the opposition was not ready to discuss it and thereafter, they aired their grievances outside the House before the media. He also said that what was seen in the House was “an opposition which was not ready to follow the democratic process”, and that such conduct was “unacceptable”.
As the opposition had not discussed the vandalism incident in the House, CM Pinarayi Vijayan decided to address the issue in the press conference and alleged that what happened in the Assembly was just a part of UDF's recent “political mischief” to disrupt the functioning of the state government. Referring to the vandalism incident, he said that everyone in the CPI(M) from the district level to the state secretariat had condemned the attack, and the LDF government also took immediate action as seen from the suspension of the senior officer in-charge of the area, as well as arrest of SFI workers.
The CM further alleged that the Congress used the incident to create a “riot-like” atmosphere as several CPI(M) offices were allegedly vandalised later. He also rejected Congress' claims that the attack on Rahul's office was carried out to appease the Sangh Parivar and BJP, saying that it was Congress which had a similar viewpoint to that of BJP, and not the CPI(M).
He claimed that the Left party has been always opposing the Sangh Parivar agenda, unlike the Congress which has “bent its knees before the BJP”. “The principles and culture of Congress is evident from its conduct of not condemning the attack on me on board an aircraft by Youth Congress workers and the killing of an SFI student in Idukki a few months ago,” he said, further alleging that the Congress has a history of protecting its workers who engage in violence.
“However, the CPI(M) does not endorse or encourage violence by its workers and takes action against those who are involved in such activities,” he claimed.
The fifth session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday after the opposition members started shouting slogans demanding action in connection with the vandalism of Rahul Gandhi's office. Speaking to reporters outside the assembly gates, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan said that the UDF had given a notice to discuss the attack on Rahul Gandhi's office and raised slogans regarding that in the House. However, the ruling front tried to suppress the voice of the opposition and also raised slogans which were provocative in nature which led to the further disruption of the House proceedings, he alleged.