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Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 8 (IANS) The controversy over gold plating of Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple rocked the Kerala Assembly for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, with protests in arms, ablutions being staged and demands for desecration of the deity.
But unlike the last two days, on Wednesday, when opposition MLAs entered the well in the House and took to raising slogans, the speaker continued with the question hour, but after a while, treasury bench MLAs also took to the well. Soon, the watch and ward staff stood like a wall between the opposing MLAs standing on either side.
Realizing the trouble, the Speaker adjourned the House for some time, for the end of question hours for less than 10 minutes.
Leader of Opposition VD Sathesan reiterated that the opposition will not cooperate with the House proceedings unless the minister resigns and the Devaswom board members are not removed.
“We will not allow the Assembly to function until accountability is fixed,” Sathesan declared.
Speaker MB Rajesh reminded the opposition that any discussion must follow procedure and a formal notice must be submitted.
The protests disrupted question hour, with opposition MLAs raising slogans and waving placards inside the house.
Visibly upset, the speaker said that the protest was staged when the school students were made to sit in the visitors’ gallery.
Rajesh commented, “You cover the speaker’s face while shouting slogans. Is this what children should learn?
As tensions escalated, Minister V. Sivankutty hit back at the opposition and shouted “Kor hai, chor hai (All are thieves)”, escalating the verbal conflict.
A scuffle broke out between Ghari and Ward staff and opposition members while attempting to reach the Speaker’s podium.
The opposition displayed old photographs of Minister Sivakutty inside the House, leading to anger on the treasury benches.
Minister Pa Muhammad Riyas was the first to step into the well to counter the protest, while other ministers formed a protective ring around the chief minister.
The confrontation turned chaotic as the ruling and opposition benches shouted at each other.
The gold-plating row has become a flashpoint between the government and the opposition, with protests intensifying both inside and outside the assembly.
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SG/DPB