Opposition must admit mistake: Hassan

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 20. The Information and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. M. M. Hassan, has said that the Government would consider changing its stand on issues leading to the suspension of three LDF MLAs if the Opposition admitted its mistake and approached it.

Mr. Hassan told a news conference here today that the Government had from the outset tried to get the Opposition to agree to a joint decision on punishing those who had `assaulted' the Transport Minister, Mr. K. B. Ganesh Kumar.

But this was not acceptable to the Opposition. He was, however, not clear as to what sort of a request from the Opposition the Government side expected.

The Minister said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V. S. Achuthanandan's contention that the suspension of the LDF MLAs was the outcome of a conspiracy between the Chief Minister and the Speaker was totally baseless. The Opposition's charges have created an unhealthy atmosphere in the State's political scene, he said.

Mr. Hassan said the Opposition could have shown its dissent to the Speaker's decisions by boycotting the sitting of the Assembly and not by indulging in unruly behaviour inside the House.

Mr. Achuthanandan has been alleging that the Speaker is a pawn in the hands of the Government. This was in very bad taste and would do untold harm to democratic institutions, he added.

Asked whether he would, in his capacity as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, mediate between the Opposition and the Government, Mr. Hassan said it was for the Speaker to convene meetings of the two sides and explore possibilities for an amicable settlement. He, however, made it clear that insinuations against the Speaker and the Chief Minister would only aggravate matters.

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