Kerala Assembly adjourns amid LDF protest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Assembly was adjourned for the day as opposition LDF MLAs demonstrated in the well of the House for the second day today over suspension of two CPI(M) members.As the LDF members kept on shouting slogans and squatted on the floor in front of the Speaker's podium, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy moved a resolution seeking suspension of the question hour and zero hour.After that, Speaker G Karthikeyan asked the treasury benches to take up the finance business slated for the day.The ministers concerned rushed through their Demands for Grants for their respective departments and the House rose within 10 minutes of the commencement of the sitting.At the outset, the Speaker reminded the opposition of a ruling given by his predecessor and CPI(M) leader M Vijayakumar in the 10th Kerala Assembly voicing strong reservations against conduct of indefinite sit-in in the assembly hall.On the Opposition charge of inappropriate behaviour of Agriculture Minister K P Mohan (SJD) yesterday, the Speaker said he had already summoned Mohan to his chamber and spoken about the matter.The Speaker said Mohan had explained to him that if there was any misconduct on his part, it had taken place due to emotions caused by unruly scenes in the House yesterday.Though opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan stood up for speaking before the House was adjourned, the Speaker did not allow him to carry on.The LDF MLAs, who have been on a sit-in protest in the Assembly hall since yesterday afternoon protesting suspension of their colleagues T V Rajesh and James Mathew, wound up their protest within the House. The two MLAs were suspended on the basis of a resolution moved by the Chief Minister yesterday for showing disrespect to the House and breach of discipline.The House has witnessed turmoil since Friday last after a strong protest mounted by the LDF over police firing at an agitation by the CPI-M's student wing in Kozhikode on October 10.Though Rajesh and Mathew had joined their colleagues in their protest yesterday, both of them went out of the House when the sitting began this morning.The trouble in the House began on Friday with the ruling front charged Rajesh and Mathew with assaulting a woman watch and ward staff during a melee in the well of the House while protesting against the Kozhikode incident.In a bid to end the stand-off, the Speaker held parleys with UDF and LDF leaders but the settlement formula did not work out as planned ultimately leading to suspension of the two MLAs for two days.Though Ramesh and Mathew were ready to express regret for seeking to climb the Speaker's podium, they asked the ruling front to withdraw the allegation of assaulting the woman security staff.As soon as the action against the MLAs was taken, opposition leader V S Achuthanandan announced the fast by LDF MLAs inside the Assembly hall demanding withdrawal of suspension of their colleagues, which started the overnight protest.The LDF also organised protests outside the House in support of the sit-in by the legislators.