The Hindu : Kerala News : Uproar, walkout in Kerala Assembly over High Court remarks

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Uproar, walkout in Kerala Assembly over High Court remarks

Special Correspondent

Achuthanandan says peace talks to be held soon to restore normality in Kannur
Chandy says the High Court has not gone beyond the case before it

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between treasury and Opposition members and a walkout by the latter alleging a Constitutional crisis in the State consequent upon the Kerala High Court’s critical observations about the breakdown of law and order in Kannur.

The Opposition warned the government against turning a deaf ear to the High Court’s observations, but the latter took the view that the court had gone beyond its Constitutional brief and had made observations which were not warranted by the case under consideration or the arguments put forward before it. The government also made it clear that it would hold peace talks at the earliest to restore normality in Kannur.

Opposing an adjournment motion on the issue, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan pointed out that the High Court judgment containing the remarks about the general situation in Kannur related to murder of Mohammed Fazal, an NDF worker of Muzhuppilangad in Kannur, in October 2006, and had nothing to do with the happenings at Thalassery earlier this month.

Mr. Achuthanandan said it was not clear why the High Court had come up with the remarks. There was no rationale for the observation that peace efforts of political parties were futile and meaningless.

The recommendation for deployment of Central forces in Kannur also was irrational given the outcome of similar measures in different parts of the country.

The Supreme Court had all along opposed High Courts making remarks other than through legitimate means. The State government, he said, would approach the Division Bench of the High Court for the removal of the observations.

Congress member K.C. Venugopal, who sought leave for the adjournment motion, disputed the Chief Minister’s claim and contended that the High Court’s observations were valid insofar as the facts and circumstances of the case before it were concerned. Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan replied that there was nothing unusual about the High Court’s decision to refer the case for CBI investigation as it had done so on 28 occasions during the UDF rule.

He wanted to know how the High Court could say leaders were immune from violent attacks when some prominent leaders of the CPI(M) had been victims of violence in Kannur.

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