Cong Walks Out on Kerala Assembly Guv Speech, BJP Stages Dharna
The Assembly saw Opposition demand resignations from the chief minister and the Speaker.
The Kerala Assembly witnessed ruckus with the Opposition walking out of the Governor's speech, and raising slogans against the Speaker and the chief minister.
MLAs of the Congress-led UDF demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan over alleged links to various corruption cases.
"We boycotted the House in protest of the attitude of speaker and the government. Pinarayi Vijayan government is the most corrupt government Kerala has ever seen. Gold smuggling case, dollar case, etc. are serious allegations against the government," said Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.
The Congress MLAs demonstrated in the well of the house.
"I am doing my constitutional duty. It is expected that no obstruction shall be created while the Governor is performing his Constitutional duty," said Kerala Governor Arif Ahmad Khan, reacting to the sloganeering, reported NDTV.
The protesting Opposition legislators later staged a sit-in protest in the assembly premises.
The BJP Yuva Morcha also staged a protest outside the Assembly demanding the resignation of the Speaker.
The police used water cannons against the protesters.
Pinarayi Vijayan has been under the attack of the Opposition since his former principal secretary M Sivasankar, who was suspended amid allegations, was arrested in an alleged money laundering case linked to the gold smuggling case through diplomatic channel.
The Speaker has also seen protests after his Additional Private Secretary K Ayyapan appeared before customs on Friday. He was served a notice to appear before Customs Kochi office for answering questions in the dollar smuggling case.
(With inputs from ANI and NDTV)
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