What kind of thuggery is this? asks VD Satheesan over ruling party’s attempt to disrupt his speech

Thiruvananthapuram: Enraged by the ruckus created by the members of the treasury bench while he was speaking in the Assembly, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan furiously threw the papers in his hand and sat down, discontinuing his speech. Dramatic scenes unfolded while the opposition leader was speaking about the Koothattukulam incident, in which Kala Raju, a CPM councilor, was stopped, verbally abused, physically attacked and forcibly undressed by angry CPM workers and supporters in the presence of CPM leaders. Furious over the ruling side’s uproar, Satheesan asked, “What kind of thuggery is happening here? Can anything be done?”

“We thought the Chief Minister would stand firm in the position he took during the CPM Alappuzha district conference regarding the safety of women. But what we see here is the CM justifying the criminals who humiliated a woman,” Satheesan remarked. He pointed out that in many panchayats in Kerala, people had shifted their loyalties. “Were they all abducted? The car was driven by a DYFI member. Is this what you encourage the new generation to do? Are you raising criminals? Is this your sense of justice?” Satheesan asked.

This caused further uproar in the assembly from the ruling party. Provoked by this, the opposition leader again asked, “What kind of thuggery is happening here? Can anything be done?” and sat down in his seat.

The opposition leader questioned whether this could be accepted in a civilised society, asking, “Can we tolerate this?” Despite the Speaker's warning, ruling party members continued to create a disturbance. In response, opposition members protested. Satheesan remarked, “When a woman was humiliated in the Kaurava Sabha, it was Dushasana then. Now, when the ruling party creates a ruckus in the assembly over this issue, you are becoming the new age Dushasanas in history. Don’t forget that,” he added.