Three UDF MLAs suspended after protest injures Kerala Assembly Marshal

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (PTI) Three MLAs from the Congress-led UDF were suspended from the Kerala Assembly for the remainder of the session on Thursday, following fierce opposition protests over the Sabarimala gold issue during which the watch-and-ward chief marshal was allegedly injured.

The government's motion for the suspension of opposition legislators Roji M John, M Vincent and Saneesh Kumar Joseph was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh for violation of the House rules during the protest by the opposition.

The motion was passed by the Assembly in the absence of the opposition which boycotted the House proceedings in the morning over the issue of alleged irregularities in the gold-plating of 'Dwarpalaka' (guardian deity) idols in the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

The functioning of the House was disrupted for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday over the issue.

Rajesh said that since October 6, the opposition has been disrupting the assembly proceedings, repeatedly violating the House rules and creating an atmosphere of violence.

They even boycotted the meeting called by Speaker A N Shamseer for making the situation in the assembly more conducive for conducting House business properly, the minister said while presenting the government's motion.

"The other day (Wednesday), they physically attacked the women watch-and-ward personnel in the House and some of them also sped towards the chief minister, violated assembly rules of procedure and did not heed the directions of the Speaker.

"The opposition continued its violent behaviour in the House on Thursday also. As a result, the right arm of the watch-and-ward Chief Marshal was severely injured and he requires surgery," Rajesh said.

He said that the serious violation of rules by the opposition is strongly condemned by the assembly.

"According to the House, MLAs Roji M John, M Vincent and Saneesh Kumar violated its rules, practices and precedents and disregarded the instructions of the Speaker, leading to the serious injuries suffered by the chief marshal entrusted with security of the assembly." "In these circumstances, the three MLAs, in accordance with the conduct rules of the House, are to be suspended from the assembly for the remaining duration of the session," the minister said.

Following a vote on the motion, the Speaker declared it as passed by the House.

The current session of the Assembly is on from September 15 and would end on Friday.

The Congress-led opposition on Thursday disrupted the Kerala assembly proceedings yet again over the issue of alleged irregularities in the gold-plating of 'Dwarpalaka' (guardian deity) idols at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, prompting a brief adjournment of the House.

After the Assembly resumed, the UDF opposition boycotted the proceedings.

Amidst the protest in the House, the UDF MLAs were involved in a push-and-pull with the assembly's watch-and-ward personnel who had formed a wall around the Speaker's podium.

After the assembly resumed following a brief adjournment, Shamseer said the chief marshal of the watch-and-ward was injured and hospitalised following the push-and-pull with the opposition.

Responding, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan claimed that the chief marshal was the same one who had in the past made a fake injury certificate.

To this, the Speaker said that the current chief marshal was a different person. PTI HMP HMP SA