Opposition stages walkout

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 2. The Opposition LDF walked out of the Assembly today in protest against the Government's refusal to allow a discussion through an adjournment motion on the Nadapuram incidents.

The Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony, said there was no need for such a discussion as the situation was under control and peaceful now. Police pickets were functioning in the affected areas and mobile patrolling was done under the direct supervision of officers. The entire machinery was being directly controlled by a Dy.SP. As many as 547 cases had been registered in connection with the incidents.

The Chief Minister traced the genesis of the incidents to differences between the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the CPI(M) over the whitewashing and writing of slogans on walls. There were flare-ups over the differences in spite of peace talks in between and these resulted in the death of a worker each of the two parties, a six-year-old in a blast and a spree of destruction.

After the Chief Minister's clarification, the Speaker, Mr. Vakkom B. Purushothaman, said he cannot entertain the Opposition's plea as the notice did not confine to one issue and was not over a matter of recent occurrence which were among the criteria for adjournment motion. The notice mentioned the Kasaragod incidents also. He added that the issue was also sub judice.

When Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (CPI-M), in whose name the notice was, tried to speak, the Speaker said that since he had ruled out the motion only the Leader of the Opposition was entitled to speak. Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan thereupon spoke questioning the Chief Minister's contention and expressing unhappiness at the acceptance of it by the Speaker.

He charged the authorities with behaving in a partisan manner. He was critical in particular of the Chief Minister's failure to visit the scene and the authorities' failure to arrest anybody in connection with the incidents. He wanted compensation to be given to the affected and protection to the poor. He then led the walkout. The leaders of other Opposition parties followed suit after making brief statements.

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Section  : Southern States
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