The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday witnessed intense uproar over the denial of permission to the Opposition for an adjournment motion on the issue of the brutal murder of a youth in police custody at Varappuzha near Kochi on April 9, forcing Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan to rush through the day’s business and announce adjournment for the day within two hours of the start of the day’s proceedings.
The Congress-led UDF Opposition termed the Speaker as a puppet in the hands of Marxist Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for refusing leave for the motion over the alleged stalling of the probe into the custodial murder of Sreejith (26).
This was the third consecutive day the Assembly had witnessed uproar over police atrocities and lapses on the part of the Home Department.
Alleging that the Government was trying to protect a top police official involved in Sreejith’s murder, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said, “The Government has many things to hide in this matter and that is why it is afraid of discussing this. It is a matter of shame that the Chief Minister himself is trying to protect the culprits,” he said.
The Speaker had refused leave for the adjournment motion for which notice was given by Congress legislator VD Satheesan on the ground that the issue of the custodial murder was presently in the High Court’s consideration. The rules of procedures of the House did not allow discussions in the Assembly on a matter pending before the court, he held.