Thiruvananthapuram: The controversy over the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple triggered uproar in the Kerala Assembly for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, with the Opposition up in arms, staging vociferous protests and demanding the resignation of the Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan.
But unlike the past two days, on Wednesday, when the opposition legislators entered the well of the House and took to sloganeering, the Speaker continued with the Question hour, but after a while, the treasury bench legislators also trooped into the well. Soon, the Watch and Ward staff stood like a wall between the protesting legislators standing on either side.
With under 10 minutes left for the end of the Question hours, sensing trouble, the Speaker adjourned the House for a while.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan reiterated that the Opposition would not cooperate with House proceedings until the minister resigns and the Devaswom Board members are removed.
“We will not allow the Assembly to function until accountability is fixed,” Satheesan declared.
Speaker M.B. Rajesh reminded the Opposition that any discussion must follow procedure and that a formal notice should be submitted.
The protests disrupted the Question Hour, with Opposition MLAs shouting slogans and waving placards inside the House.
Visibly upset, the Speaker noted that the protest was staged when school students were seated in the visitors’ gallery.
“You covered the Speaker’s face while shouting slogans. Is this what the children should learn? This does not dignify democracy,” Rajesh remarked and further pointed out that the Opposition even tried to place a female MLA who is recovering from an accident as a shield and put her in the front row.
As tensions rose, Minister V. Sivankutty hit back at the Opposition, shouting “chor hai, chor hai (all are thieves)”, escalating the verbal clash.
A scuffle broke out between the Watch and Ward staff and Opposition members as they attempted to reach the Speaker’s podium.
The Opposition displayed old photographs of Minister Sivankutty inside the House, sparking anger on the Treasury benches.
Minister P.A. Muhammad Riyas was the first to step into the well to counter the protest, while other ministers formed a protective ring around the Chief Minister.
The confrontation turned chaotic as the ruling and Opposition benches shouted over each other.
The gold-plating row has become a flashpoint between the government and the Opposition, with protests intensifying both inside and outside the Assembly.
(IANS)
