The Hindu : Front Page : Opposition walkout over Speaker’s ruling

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Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007
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Opposition walkout over Speaker’s ruling

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition walked out of the Assembly during the Zero Hour on Tuesday and then returned to stage a slogan-shouting demonstration in the well of the House in protest against the Speaker disallowing a discussion on the “Government’s blackmail tactics against critics.”

The notice for taking up discussion on the topic through an adjournment motion was submitted by Thiruvananchoor Radhakrishnan of the Congress. Speaker K. Radhakrishnan, while rejecting the notice, ruled that the subject indicated was too vague and general in nature.

He asked the Congress member to be more specific. On being pressed, he said he would consider including it as a submission for the Government’s response, if any member were to present a request for it. The Speaker’s ruling led to the walkout.

Later, the Opposition members returned to the House while the day’s submissions were being taken up. They insisted that the Speaker should allow the topic to be introduced as a submission. However, the Speaker said the Opposition had not accepted the suggestion when it was mooted first and had, instead, resorted to a walkout.

As he proceeded with the business listed for the day, the Opposition members were up on their feet protesting. They walked to the well of the House and kept shouting slogans accusing the Government of misusing its powers to “intimidate and blackmail those who happened to criticise the operations of corrupt leaders in the Left Democratic Front.”

During the uproar that followed, the Speaker rushed through the financial business listed for the day and declared as passed the demands for grants for the Departments of Industries and Ports.

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