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UDF MLAs on hunger strike after ruckus in Kerala assembly over Sabarimala
The proceedings inside the assembly turned chaotic within minutes after the session was convened, forcing the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan to wrap up the business in less than half an hour.
The Kerala assembly was disrupted for the fourth day on Monday over the Sabarimala situation amid unruly scenes in the House, as several UDF and BJP leaders began a hunger strike over the issue.
The proceedings inside the assembly turned chaotic within minutes after the session was convened, forcing the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan to wrap up the business in less than half an hour.
The leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said prohibitory orders under Section 144 should be withdrawn from Sabarimala. “We’re requesting more facilities for pilgrims coming to Sabarimala, Pambha and Nilakkal,” he said.
Chennithala said the opposition has been raising this demand for the last three to four days but the government isn’t ready to discuss this.
“That’s why we raised this in the House. We have decided to stage a dharna before the House,” he said.
Chennithala said at the outset of the question hour that the Congress would cooperate with Speaker but announced that three of its legislators would begin an indefinite hunger strike in front of the assembly’s main door to protest the Pinarayi Vijayan government’s callous attitude by refusing the party’s demands in Sabarimala town.
Vijayan immediately retorted saying that there was no difference between the saffron brigade and the Congress. “While the Bharatiya Janata Party was stationed in front of the state secretariat, you have started it here. This clearly shows the relation you have with the BJP/RSS,” Vijayan added.
“One cannot cheat all the people all the time and now you have been exposed, as you have become the closest buddy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” said Vijayan, that was greeted with a loud thumping by the treasury benches.
To which, Chennithala replied: “Everyone saw how RSS leader Valsan Thillenkary was controlling things standing at the hallowed 18 steps of Sabarimala temple in November.”
But Chennithala was prevented from ending his discourse as the Speaker said the question hour cannot be turned into a debating session. This infuriated the opposition MLAs who immediately rushed towards the Speaker’s podium and started shouting slogans.
Angry young legislators from the treasury benches were also up on their feet and started advancing towards the podium. However, timely intervention by state transport minister AK Saseendran avoided a clash as he pulled his party colleagues back.
When the sloganeering increased, Sreeramakrishnan asked the opposition to return to their benches, warning that he would be forced to adjourn the house. The Speaker was forced to rush through the listed business of the day in 21 minutes and adjourn the House till Tuesday.
The BJP’s AN Radhakrishnan also began a fast as party general secretary Saroj Pande inaugurated it.
“The state government’s inept handling led to the impasse in Sabarimala. It is victimising party workers citing the verdict,” Pande said.
The temple has been witnessing a series of protests since the Supreme Court’s September 28 verdict allowing women of all ages to worship there. As the shrine opened for the annual pilgrimage on November 17, the state government imposed restrictions at the hilltop and the base camps to tackle protestors and deployed more than 10,000 policemen in the area.
The uneasy atmosphere has affected footfall to Sabarimala as well as temple revenues. According to the Travancore Devasom Board, which runs the temple, there is a dip of Rs 30 crore during the first 12 days of the season as compared to the same period last year.
(With agency inputs)
