Kerala Assembly chaos: As Forest Min intervenes, LoP Pinarayi asks if Fisheries Min is incompetent
Thiruvananthapuram: A confrontation erupted between the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Minister in the Legislative Assembly during an adjournment motion. The uproar was triggered by Opposition Leader Pinarayi’s remark questioning whether the Fisheries Minister was incompetent to answer the questions. The intervention of the Forest Minister while the Fisheries Minister was replying prompted Pinarayi's comment.
The clash between the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Minister occurred during the consideration of a notice moved by MLAs Saji Cherian, K Rajan, and P K Praveen, demanding a suspension of House proceedings to discuss the non-distribution of lean-season relief to fishermen, who have been facing hardships since the imposition of the trawling ban.
Forest Minister Shibu Baby John intervened while Fisheries Minister V E Abdul Gafoor was replying to the notice. Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan questioned Shibu Baby John on whether such a precedent existed. However, Shibu Baby John responded that the Fisheries Minister had permitted him to speak. Following this, the Forest Minister proceeded to address the issue concerning the fishermen. The Leader of the Opposition criticised this move.
"When one minister is replying, another minister intervenes, and the Speaker, contrary to custom, grants permission. This intervention seemed to suggest that the Fisheries Minister lacks the competence to reply. That should not happen. It is improper for another minister to intervene in a manner that portrays the Fisheries Minister as incompetent. Is such an intervention permissible?" Pinarayi asked.
However, the ruling front created a ruckus, accusing the Leader of the Opposition of attempting to insult the Minister. Pinarayi then stood up to respond to this. "I have not insulted anyone. It was the Treasury benches that attempted to insult him. When one minister is replying, another minister standing up and establishing that the speaking minister is incompetent is the ultimate wrongdoing. That is what happened here. The issue is whether that is permissible," the Leader of the Opposition said.
Subsequently, Chief Minister V D Satheesan intervened, criticising the Leader of the Opposition and justifying the Forest Minister's action. V D Satheesan stated that House records show several ministers intervening and speaking during adjournment motions while other ministers were replying back when Pinarayi Vijayan was the Chief Minister.
However, Pinarayi Vijayan countered that the Chief Minister was attempting to mislead the House. The Leader of the Opposition stated that if ministers had intervened in such a manner during the previous government's tenure, they only spoke after the minister originally addressing the House had concluded their remarks.