House suspended as Oppn raise slogans, demands resignation of minister over Sabarimala gold row

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly witnessed protests on the second consecutive day on Tuesday during the question hour, with the opposition targeting the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board over the Sabarimala gold row.

VD Satheesan, leader of the opposition, demanded the resignation of the Devaswom Board minister and the dismissal of the Devaswom Board. The opposition got into the well of the House and approached Speaker AN Shamseer’s chair, raising slogans demanding the resignation of the Board and urging Devaswom Minister to step down.

Speaking in the Assembly, Minister of Law  P Rajeev accused the opposition of failing to respect the High Court and said, “the Board, minister, and government are open to any kind of investigation", dismissing the protests as politically motivated.

Minister for Local Self Governments, Rural Development and Excise MB Rajesh claimed that "the opposition had lost faith in the judiciary”. The Supreme Court, he noted, had repeatedly cautioned against bringing mere political disputes before it, a remark made amid backlash referencing a Congress leader currently facing court proceedings.

The assembly was temporarily adjourned.