Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Thursday disrupted proceedings in the Kerala Assembly, demanding the resignation of state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan over the Sabarimala gold theft issue.

As the House resumed after obituary references and the naming of the chairpersons’ panel, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan told Speaker A N Shamseer that the UDF’s protest was continuing. He said the opposition had boycotted the previous session over the issue and would not cooperate with proceedings until Vasavan stepped down.

Opposition MLAs then moved into the well of the House, holding placards and a banner in front of the Speaker’s dais, accusing the CPM of “looting” the Sabarimala shrine.

Responding to the protest, Parliamentary Affairs and Excise Minister M B Rajesh accused the opposition of avoiding debate. He said the UDF could issue a notice for discussion, but was instead staging a protest. 

“But they are afraid to discuss the matter. They have always run away from discussing important issues in the House. They are afraid, and that is why they are trooping into the well of the assembly holding up placards. This is an indication of their shameless cowardice,” Rajesh said, calling the protest “shameless cowardice.”

As sloganeering continued and opposition MLAs ignored the Speaker’s directive to remove the banner, Rajesh said the UDF’s slogan, “who stole Lord Ayyappa’s gold”, should be directed at its own convener Adoor Prakash, and, if unanswered, to Sonia Gandhi.

Terming the protest a “drama”, the minister said the opposition had escalated the issue after the Kerala High Court directed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe irregularities dating back to the period when the UDF was in power.

“Placards, banners and photographs are not available only to you. From tomorrow, we can also show such things,” he said.

Rajesh also said that both the alleged thief and the buyer of the stolen gold appeared in the same photograph with Sonia Gandhi.

He further claimed that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was introduced due to pressure from the Left during the first UPA government, accusing the UDF of showing no concern for the scheme.

“That is why, when we are trying to discuss how replacing MGNREGA with VB-RAM G will affect the livelihoods of lakhs of people in Kerala, the UDF is staging this drama,” he said. “The opposition is protesting to protect another Gandhi. For them, the other Gandhi is bigger than Mahatma Gandhi.”

General Education Minister V Sivankutty, angered by the sloganeering while he was responding to a submission, began chanting that “Congress stole the gold.” He also accused the opposition of remaining silent on Sonia Gandhi’s alleged role and demanded that she be questioned.

As opposition members continued their protest, ruling front legislators moved close to the well of the House. Despite the disruptions, House business continued, with the UDF persisting in its demand for Vasavan’s resignation over the Sabarimala gold theft case.

PTI