Kerala Assembly: Cong seeks to discuss assault on its workers in Kannur; permission denied

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 27 (PTI) The Kerala Assembly Speaker on Tuesday denied permission to the Congress-led UDF opposition's notice to adjourn the House and discuss the recent alleged assault on party activists by CPI(M) workers at Payyanur in Kannur district, saying it has "no urgent importance".

Following the ruling issued by Speaker A N Shamseer, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan questioned the basis for denying the permission and several UDF MLAs trooped into the well of the House and shouted slogans before the Speaker's dais.

"On what basis or rule of the House is permission being denied to discuss the issue of violence being perpetrated by the CPI(M) against those who speak out against the Left party. How could you say it has no urgent importance? Where else will we raise serious issues like this," Satheesan asked.

The opposition MLAs continued to shout slogans in front of the Speaker's dais for some time after which they walked out of the House.

The Congress has accused the CPI(M) of "brutally assaulting" party workers in Kannur, who marched to the office of a Left MLA facing allegations of misappropriation of funds for party martyrs' families.

The party has alleged that the Congress workers protesting against Payyanur MLA T I Madhusoodanan were attacked by CPI(M) activists on January 24 and later, the area secretary of the Left party allegedly openly threatened with violence anyone carrying out such marches.

The party had also claimed that even the senior CPI(M) leader -- V Kunhikrishnan -- who made the allegations of fund misappropriation against the MLA was facing death threats from within the party.

Kunhikrishnan had recently alleged that the legislator had misappropriated Rs one crore collected to assist the family of a slain Left party worker.

He was, subsequently, expelled from the CPI(M). PTI HMP KH