Uproar in Kerala Assembly over starred questions, Opposition boycotts Question Hour

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 7 (ANI): The 12th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed an uproar during Question Hour, with the opposition expressing strong discontent over the downgrading of 45 starred questions. 

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan led the charge, accusing the Speaker and the government of side-lining important issues of State and national interest, and denying the opposition the right to raise critical questions. 

Satheesan criticized the move, arguing that the questions were of public importance and that the opposition’s right to seek answers was being undermined. 

In response, Speaker AN Shamseer clarified that according to the Assembly rules, questions cannot be made public until asked during the Session. He also defended the decision to convert the starred questions, stating that it was not a rule violation but based on the nature of the questions, which were speculative in nature.

Despite the Speaker’s explanation, the opposition persisted with their protest, demanding accountability on significant issues, including the meeting between Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, MR Ajith Kumar with leaders of  RSS . 

"Isn’t this of public interest? How can this be deemed unimportant?" Satheesan questioned, but the Speaker moved ahead with the question hour without providing a direct answer.

As the commotion continued, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed the house for the question regarding Chief Minister Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF), asserting that the government had nothing to hide. He assured that there are clear rules and transparency in the management of the disaster relief fund. 

He further criticized the opposition’s actions, stating that the protests against the Speaker were unwarranted and should be reconsidered. 

“The opposition should reflect on whether such protests against the Speaker are justified,” Vijayan said.

The Speaker, meanwhile, maintained that the opposition's conduct was inappropriate and reiterated that microphones would only be turned on if the members were seated.

In a pointed remark, Shamseer asked the protesting opposition members, "Who among you is the Leader of the Opposition?" This provoked further protests from Satheesan, who accused the Speaker of immaturity and disrespecting the position of the Opposition Leader.

Following this heated exchange, the opposition boycotted the remainder of the question hour, staging a walkout in protest. Satheesan called the Speaker’s stance a disgrace to the chair, reiterating that the opposition had been unfairly denied the opportunity to ask crucial questions in the house. 

After opposition's walkout, the Speaker said that he requested the opposition members to remain seated if they wanted to speak into the microphone. In response, the opposition leader also urged his fellow members to stay seated. However, only Kuzhalnadan continued to protest against the chair.  

Chief Minister Vijayan said, "The remark made by the Leader of the Opposition against the Speaker is an unprecedented insult in the history of this Assembly. There must be mutual respect in the House. The Opposition leader has shown a complete lack of decorum, and today we witnessed its worst version. The Assembly firmly rejects such actions."

The allegations raised by the Leader of Opposition against the Speaker have been removed from the assembly records. 

The 12th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly began on Friday, October 4, but the House was adjourned on the first day after paying homage to victims of Wayanad landslide tragedy. (ANI)