Speaker's remark raises Oppn. hackles

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 5. The Opposition LDF brought the proceedings of the Assembly to a halt for a few minutes during question hour today when the Speaker, Mr. Vakkom Purushothaman, forbade the Food Minister, Mr. G. Karthikeyan, from answering a supplementary question from an Opposition member.

The LDF members barged into the well of the House and shouted slogans against the Speaker even as the treasury benches observed a studied silence. Sensing trouble, the Speaker told the Opposition that he would ask the Minister to answer the supplementary question and requested them to return to their seats. For a few minutes, the situation seemed almost out of control, but the Opposition members then heeded the Speaker's request and returned to their seats, restoring order in the House.

Trouble arose after Mr. A.K. Balan (CPI-M) asked Mr. Karthikeyan, who was deputising for the Finance Minister, Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan, whether the Government proposed to dissolve the toddy workers' cooperatives as part of its efforts to bridge the revenue deficit. Mr. Karthikeyan was at the time replying to a question on steps needed to bring down the revenue deficit.

The Speaker ruled that the supplementary question need not be answered as it was not connected with the main question. However, the Minister was by then on his feet. Seeing this, Mr. Balan told the Speaker that the Minister should be allowed to speak as he had already shown his willingness to do so. The Speaker replied that he was ``unconcerned with the Minister's willingness.'' The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, was immediately on his feet and reminded the Speaker that he had every right to point out mistakes in the way questions were put, it would be wholly inappropriate for him ``to advice Ministers from above.''

Even as the Speaker tried to explain his position, several LDF members, led by Mr. Balan, Mr. M.V. Jayarajan, Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac and Mr. Raju Abraham, moved into the well of the House arguing with and gesticulating at the Chair. The security staff immediately threw a cordon around the Speaker. Mr. Purushothaman soon brought the situation under control by allowing the Minister to reply to the supplementary.

Mr. Karthikeyan merely said that it was not the Government's policy to augment its resources by excessive sale of liquor. His answer meant little, but a jubilant Opposition welcomed it, thumping the desks.

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Section  : Southern States
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