Kerala CM’s remark against Youth Congress triggers uproar in Assembly

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks against Youth Congress triggered protests on Tuesday in the Assembly as Congress-led UDF opposition members disrupted the proceedings by raising slogans and holding banners and placards.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks against Youth Congress triggered protests on Tuesday in the Assembly as Congress-led UDF opposition members disrupted the proceedings by raising slogans and holding banners and placards.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said Youth Congress activists were trying to create law and order problem.(Vipin Kumar/HT File Photo)

As the Opposition demanded withdrawal of the statement and declined to cooperate with the proceedings, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan adjourned the House for the day.

Mocking at the ongoing agitations of Youth Congress demanding the roll back of fees hike in private self financing medical colleges, Vijayan said those who waved black flag at him recently as part of the protest were not Youth Congress activists but somebody “hired” by television channels.

He also said Youth Congress activists were disrupting normal life of people and trying to create law and order problem and tension in many places “purposefully” in the name of agitation.

“Two people showed black flag at me when I went out of the Secretariat. Some television channel cameramen could also be seen at the other side of the road,” he said while replying to the notice for an adjournment motion by Shafi Parambil (Cong)) over the private medical college issue.

“I think, those who waved black flag were not Youth Congress activists, but somebody hired by television channels. I do not think Youth Congress would come for a black flag protest with such less number of activists,” he said.

Sticking to the government’s earlier stand that students were benefited by the agreement signed by the government with the managements of private self financing colleges, he said the CPI(M)-led LDF government would initiate strong action against those managements who demand capitation fee.

As the chief minister continued his statement, a number of opposition MLAS trooped to the Speaker’s dais demanding withdrawal of the statement and squatted at the well and raised slogans against Vijayan and the government.

Expressing strong protest over the remarks, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said Vijayan’s comments were “unbecoming” of the position he held.

“Vijayan should not use in the House the language which he uses in party committees and in street. This language is unbecoming of the position which he holds,” he said, adding that the remarks should be expunged from the Assembly records.

As protest continued and repeated attempts to send the opposition members back to their seats failed, the speaker took up other businesses slated earlier and adjourned the House for the day.