Kerala Assembly Disrupted Over Sabarimala Temple Gold Issue

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (PTI): The Kerala assembly witnessed yet another disruption on Thursday by the Congress-led opposition, focusing on alleged irregularities in the gold-plating of 'Dwarpalaka' (guardian deity) idols at the Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The commotion prompted a brief adjournment of the proceedings.

Once the Assembly resumed, the UDF opposition chose to boycott further proceedings. The Speaker, A N Shamseer, temporarily adjourned the session as ruling front MLAs claimed they couldn't participate due to the ongoing UDF protest.

A scuffle occurred between opposition members and the assembly's watch-and-ward personnel, resulting in injuries to the Chief Marshal, who was subsequently hospitalized. Opposition leader V D Satheesan alleged that the Chief Marshal had issued a fake injury certificate in the past, to which the Speaker clarified that the current Chief Marshal was a different individual.

Satheesan expressed concern over Speaker Shamseer's silence during ministers' inappropriate comments towards the opposition. He declared that the UDF would fully boycott the assembly until action is taken regarding the temple irregularities and vowed to continue their protests both inside and outside the assembly.

Following their walkout, opposition members staged a sit-in outside the assembly's doors, chanting slogans against the government concerning the Sabarimala gold issue.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh commented on the situation, suggesting Satheesan's statements seemed to endorse the opposition MLAs' actions. He referenced a recent note from a child, emphasizing the importance of not ridiculing opponents, implying that even though the UDF might have lost in various arenas, they shouldn't be mocked.

The protest commenced as soon as House proceedings started at 9 AM, with Satheesan asserting that the UDF would maintain their stance on the issue persisting for several days. He also brought up alleged body-shaming remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against an opposition MLA.

Satheesan accused the Speaker of bias, allowing ministers to speak freely while frequently interrupting him. Regarding the Sabarimala gold controversy, he claimed that original idols were sold for a significant sum and demanded accountability from those responsible. The opposition called for the resignation of state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan and the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

With their message "gold turned into copper" displayed on a banner, opposition members entered the well of the House. The assembly's watch-and-ward personnel positioned themselves to protect the Speaker's area. Despite interruptions, Assembly proceedings continued, with opposition members repositioning the banner after being requested to remove it from blocking the Speaker's view.

Minister Rajesh dismissed Satheesan's remarks as "a call for violence" and asserted the CM's comments lacked personal references. Notably, the CM had allegedly mockingly referred to an opposition MLA's height the previous day without naming anyone.

The Kerala Assembly has experienced turmoil since Monday, with the UDF protesting and demanding the Devaswom minister's resignation regarding the gold-plating issue. A revelation about the reduced weight of gold-plated coverings at the Sabarimala temple during Kerala High Court proceedings has fueled these demands.

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