The Speaker warned the opposition MLAs to maintain social distancing.
Kochi:
The no-confidence motion moved by the Congress-led UDF in Kerala was defeated with 87 MLAs voting against it; only 40 voted in favour. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s response to the motion lasting for around three hours and 40 minutes.
The session, which began at 9 AM, dealt with other House business initially, and ended at around 9 PM, with Chief Minister’s scathing criticism of the Congress and it’s ally Muslim league.
Three hours into chief minister elaborating various measures taken by the state government as part of its key projects, Opposition MLAs began leaving their chairs, Raising anti-corruption slogans.
“I am responding. Why can’t you listen?” the Chief Minister was heard asking.
The Speaker warned the opposition MLAs to maintain social distancing – part of COVID-19 hygiene protocol – and said: “Earlier you were protesting saying he is giving long response. Now you are claiming he is not responding to your questions?” the Speaker, P Sreeramakrishnan, could be heard saying.
UDF MLA VD Satheesan had moved the no-confidence motion, raising allegations of corruption against the ruling Left. The MLA began with a reference from William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, in which Brutus (one of Caesar’s assassins) is called “an honourable man.”
“The Chief Minister is an honourable man. Captain of the ship. But he isn’t able to control the ship – because the primary problem is in the Cabinet. Earlier, when I cautioned him, I never knew the headquarters of this smuggling case will be the Chief Minister’s office,” VD Satheesan claimed before the House.
The MLA, and others in the Opposition, raised various accusations, including the alleged role of people within the Chief Minister’s Office in the gold smuggling case and claims of Rs 9 crore being “siphoned off as bribes and commissions’ from a government project that aims to build houses for the poor.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala was also among those who raised questions against the government.
