Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday broke his silence on the Sabarimala gold-plating controversy, calling the Opposition’s protests in the Legislative Assembly “excessive” while praising the Speaker for maintaining order amid the chaos.

Speaking in the House for the first time on the issue, Vijayan said the Assembly had witnessed many forms of protest in the past, but covering the Speaker’s face was “unprecedented”.

“I appreciate the Speaker's efforts to maintain consensus. During discussions with party leaders, the Treasury benches participated to ensure dialogue,” he said.

The Chief Minister noted that attempts by the Speaker’s office to facilitate discussions revealed the Opposition’s unwillingness to cooperate.

“Any legitimate request from the Opposition will be considered. The government is ready to respond to all factual matters,” Vijayan assured.

Addressing the gold-plating row directly, he accused the Opposition of creating fear and political distractions .

“The government fears nothing. High Court inspections are ongoing. We have never shielded any guilty party, nor will we. Actions are taken against the erring without bias. The Special Investigation Team is probing the matter. Strict action will follow,” he stated.

Vijayan also criticised the Opposition’s conduct inside the Assembly.

“A respected Opposition member even appeared ready to leap over the bench as if to disrupt proceedings. Watch and Ward staff are human beings; why protest against them who are silently performing their duties? Some protests were directed even at women MLAs. Such behaviour is entirely unacceptable,” he said.

The Assembly witnessed intense protests for the third consecutive day, forcing the Speaker to temporarily adjourn proceedings before reconvening after a short break.

The Sabarimala gold-plating controversy continues to dominate Kerala’s political scene, deepening the standoff between the government and Opposition benches. With the Assembly session set to conclude on Thursday, the Opposition UDF has announced a statewide protest demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan. 

IANS