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Heated scenes in Kerala assembly as Oppn walks out over pension, health care issues
Opposition staged a walkout from the Kerala assembly over issues of delay in pension disbursal and lack of essential medicines at government hospitals
The Kerala assembly witnessed heated scenes between the treasury and opposition benches on Monday on the issues of delay in disbursal of social security pensions and lack of essential medicines at government hospitals, resulting in the Congress-led UDF members walking out of the House.
Congress MLA PC Vishnunath had moved an adjournment motion notice claiming that the delay in the disbursement of the pensions led to the suicide of a differently-abled man, in Kozhikode district. “The government spent ₹40 lakh on the cow shed and ₹3.72 lakh for the cow dung pit at the official residence of the chief minister. But the same government is not willing to pay the social welfare pensions of the poorest people of the state,” the MLA said.
However, state minister for finance KN Balagopal countered the MLA’s claims and said that the differently-abled man had received the pension for the months of November and December and that there was no evidence to link the pensions with his suicide.
“The person died by suicide on January 23 and he had received his pensions for the months of November and December,” Balagopal said.
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan took up the issue of the alleged lack of availability of medicines at the government hospitals citing a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
“The CAG report says that in their test period, 67 hospitals had no medicines in 62,826 instances. It also says that there were some essential medicines which had not been available for nearly 1,745 days,” he said.
In her response, state minister for health Veena George said, “Their (CAG) final report hasn’t come yet. Answers to their questions have been given. Kerala is the first state to form a firm to ensure regular procurement of medicines. Every year, the number of medicines being added to the list of essential drug items is increasing”.
When Speaker AN Shamseer refused to grant leave for the adjournment motion of the Congress, the opposition MLAs trooped into the well of the House with placards against the government and shouted slogans.
Subsequently, the MLAs staged a walkout of the House in protest.
Outside the House, Satheesan, while talking to the media persons said, “We brought this adjournment motion considering the fact that the social security pensions have not been disbursed for the past five months. This issue impacts over 50 lakh people. The government is not taking any action in this regard”.
