Actress issue rocks Kerala assembly, opposition boycotts

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27: The abduction and assault of a noted actress rocked the Kerala Assembly proceedings today with the opposition alleging that the state government has "weakened the probe" into the infamous incident.

During the Zero Hour, opposition Congress-led UDF members disrupted the proceedings and squatted at the Well of the House. They raised slogans alleging the government was not sincere in unearthing the conspiracy behind the incident.

The House also witnessed heated exchanges between the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition benches over safety of women and traded charges on the incidents of attack on women during their respective rules.

As the opposition protest continued, the House was temporarily adjourned for some time. A meeting of leaders of both the Fronts convened by the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan to arrive at a consensus for the smooth conduct of the proceedings failed to reach any agreement.

When the House re-assembled after the recess of around half an hour, the opposition members boycotted the further proceedings as the Speaker refused to take up a discussion on the matter.

Earlier, while replying to notice for the adjournment motion, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected the opposition charge and said the arrest of all the accused in the case, including the prime accused 'Pulser' Suni, was the clear evidence of the government's commitment in the case.

He also said the Congress-led Opposition was trying to "politicise the issue unnecessarily" and "use the Assembly floor to create a smoke-screen over the matter."

"Police has strongly intervened into the issue since the beginning. The culprits were nabbed within days as the police had acted efficiently," he said. Vijayan also maintained that the government has no opinion if there was any conspiracy behind the incident and the police were free to probe the case further.

"The government has not taken a stand that there was no conspiracy behind the incident. We have informed this to the court also. Police has the freedom to go ahead with the investigation," he said.

He added that the opposition's allegation that the government was trying to weaken the case was "completely false." Attacking the government, opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Chief Minister had said there was no conspiracy behind the incident and it had literally put an end to the probe in the sensational case.