5 months ago
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Kerala Speaker A.N. Shamseer coiled up the day’s proceedings successful the Legislative Assembly successful astir 50 minutes connected Thursday (February 5, 2026) with the Opposition Congress-led UDF continuing its protests implicit the Sabarimala golden theft enactment wrong the House. The Budget Session of the Assembly will reconvene connected February 23, the Speaker said.
During the Question Hour, which began astatine 9 a.m., UDF members trooped into the good of the House and settled determination shouting slogans. Amid the pandemonium, the Kerala Appropriation Bill was introduced and passed without discussion. The Kerala Assembly adopted a solution demanding that the Union authorities repeal the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) and reconstruct the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty made a connection regarding the assignment of otherwise abled persons successful aided schools. The last batch of supplementary demands for grants successful the 2025-2026 Budget besides was passed.
On the accomplishment of Mr. Shamseer into the Assembly hall, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan roseate to denote that the Congress-led UDF was readying to ratchet up the protests. “The CPI(M) was trying to erase the golden theft lawsuit retired of fearfulness that its leaders would spell to prison,” alleged Mr. Satheesan.
He said that the UDF has been pursuing its agitation seeking the resignation of the Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and “a halt to the pressure” being enactment connected the peculiar probe squad (SIT) by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Home department. “Once the accused are retired connected statutory bail, determination is each accidental that the grounds would beryllium erased,” Mr. Satheesan said. As yet, the grounds has not been decently collected successful the 90 days of investigation, he alleged.
He besides stated that the UDF members had entered the Speaker’s dais the different time to “retrieve a banner” confiscated by the Watch and Ward staff.
“We person protested successful a peaceful mode wrong the House. The protestation we person launched wrong the Assembly volition present beryllium taken outside. The UDF volition proceed the protests precise strongly,” Mr. Satheesan said.
Speaker’s response
Mr. Shamseer said the LDF authorities had informed the Chair that it was prepared for a treatment connected the Sabarimala golden theft case, but the Opposition was not agreeing to it. “It is unfortunate that the Opposition is reluctant adjacent aft the authorities stated that it was acceptable for a treatment connected the substance if the Opposition gave announcement for it,” helium said.
On the protests implicit the past fewer days, Mr. Shamseer said that the UDF members had “rushed up to his dais arsenic if they were trying to topple a constabulary barricade.” He accused the UDF members of attempting to bushed the Watch and Ward unit with the banner pole. He besides slammed the Opposition for “belittling the Chair retired successful the street”. Mr. Shamseer reminded the Opposition that helium was not “air-dropped” into the Assembly, and that helium “also possessed governmental experience.”
Introducing the Appropriation Bill, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the Opposition has “thrown a challenge” to the radical of Kerala by not participating successful the discussions connected the Kerala Budget. The Opposition was besides persisting with its adamant basal erstwhile national-level developments specified arsenic the replacement of the MGNREGS model with VB-G-RAM-G and the commercialized woody with the U.S. called for superior discussions successful the Kerala Assembly arsenic they affected lakhs of radical successful the State, helium said.
Mr. Balagopal accused the UDF of “insulting” the Assembly done its disruptions.
Minister for Local Self Government M.B. Rajesh roseate to constituent retired that the High Court had expressed afloat restitution successful the SIT probe successful the Sabarimala case. “The tribunal has stated that the probe is progressing successful the close direction. What the UDF truly intended was that the probe should not pb to the existent culprits successful the case,” helium said.
