The Kerala Assembly on Friday witnessed unprecedented chaos and ugly scenes with legislators of the CPI(M)-led lDF Opposition indulging in vandalism in a desperate bid to prevent “tainted” Finance Minister KM Mani from presenting the State Budget. Members of the Congress-led ruling UDF faced them with equal vehemence.
Amidst the din, Mani, accused in a bribery case and facing charges of manipulating tax provision to help the business class, somehow managed to read a few pages of the 2015-16 Budget standing inside a protective ring created by UDF MlAs and the Watch and Ward staff even as thousands of leftist activists fought pitched battle with the police outside the Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram.
More than half-a-dozen MlAs, including three women members, had to be hospitalised following violence in the House while several persons and policemen suffered injuries in the violence and police response outside the Assembly. Even innocent passers-by were injured in police action. The lDF will observe a dawn-to-dusk State-wide protest shutdown on Saturday.
That the House would plunge into chaos was obvious even early Friday morning as members, including Ministers and CM, who had stayed in the Assembly complex overnight, entered the Hall with the leftist legislators determined to block Mani...from reading the Budget document and the ruling side firm in their resolve to defeat the lDF using their own strategy.
Just before 9.00 am, the time for the business to start, about 20 lDF members rushed to the podium of the Speaker and blocked the entrance to it in a strategy to keep him away from the House so that the Budget could not be presented. The bid led to friction between the members and the Watch and Ward staff.
Members, led by V Sivankutty of the CPI(M), threw the Speaker’s chair away, damaged the computer, mike and other equipments on the table and some MlAs could be seen standing on the table on the podium. As this was going on, Mani entered the Hall through another door, protected by Watch and Ward staff and UDF members.
UDF’s K Sivadasan Nair was seen blocking left MlA Jameela Prakasam in questionable ways when she approached Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. It was alleged that two more women members of the lDF were roughed up by UDF MlAs and Marxist members Thomas Isaac and MA Baby were pushed down by security staff.
It was a literal free for all in the House for nearly twenty minutes during which members from the two sides engaged in scuffles and howls. At the end of the drama, several members were seen collapsing overtaken by fatigue. It was even alleged that a UDF MlA tried to disrobe a woman member.
Four minutes after the time for the formal start of the business, Speaker N Sakthan managed to enter his podium and he utilized the few seconds to gesture to Mani that he could start presenting the Budget. Instantly, Mani began reading the paper from inside the protective ring of UDF members and security staff.
Mani’s exercise was over in six minutes and he declared tabling of the document which was followed by celebrations by UDF MlAs. later, he read out the entire Budget document before newsmen. Speaker Sakthan claimed that the Budget had indeed been presented formally and properly, which the lDF disputed.
Reports of roughing up of leftist MlAs including women infuriated the crowds of lDF activists waiting outside the Assembly. Their violent reaction instantly transformed the city into a war zone with the police reacting with all their might, using water cannons, stun grenades and lathi-charge to disperse the crowds at several parts of the city.
The pitched battles between the activists and the police continued for about three hours and the city regained its peace by noon. Yuva Morcha activists also had laid siege to the Assembly complex from Thursday afternoon protesting against Mani presenting the Budget but they withdrew from the scene by 10.00 AM Friday.
The lDF had vowed not to let Mani present the Budget as he had been accused of selling Budget proposals to interested business sectors for money. Also, he is facing a Vigilance case over the charge that he had taken Rs 1 crore as bribe from the bar owners of the State.