Kerala Assembly Tensions: Uproar Over Opposition's Conduct

The Kerala Assembly witnessed a clash as four United Democratic Front members were reprimanded for breaching parliamentary etiquette. The opposition's protest involved covering the Speaker’s face with a banner, causing significant disorder. The government condemned the act, while the opposition argued against the motion citing historical precedents.

The Kerala Assembly faced turbulent scenes as tensions erupted on Tuesday. A motion, proposed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh, aimed to reprimand four opposition members from the United Democratic Front for allegedly breaching parliamentary etiquette during a protest on Monday.

The protest saw opposition members raise a banner that obstructed the Speaker's face, an act the assembly deemed disruptive despite repeated calls for order. The incident was strongly condemned, with calls for stern warnings against members I.C. Balakrishnan, Anwar Sadath, Saji Joseph, and Mathew Kuzhalnadan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the opposition's conduct, accusing them of deliberately creating chaos to avoid discussions. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheeshan argued against the motion, noting that similar protests have historical precedence and accusing the Speaker of bias. The session marked heightened tensions over star question downgrades and the opposition's right to query significant state issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)