THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition boycotted the Assembly on Friday in protest against the alleged statement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that the Opposition MLAs as well as the people of Aluva had extremist links. However, the Chief Minister maintained that he only said that some UDF MLAs were not able to recognise extremists and that their acts were supporting them. Even those with terrorist links had joined those who raised protest against the police at Edathala near Aluva the other day, he claimed.
Mr P.T. Thomas (Congress) gave an adjournment notice over the Chief Minister's alleged statement. But Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan denied permission for the motion maintaining that there was no precedent of allowing an adjournment notice on a remark made in the House. But the Opposition did not budge. As the speaker allowed the Chief Minister to make a clarification, the Opposition MLAs trooped to the well of the House shouting slogans. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the chief minister could give a clarification after Mr P.T. Thomas presented the notice. As the speaker did not agree, the Opposition boycotted the House.
Many Opposition MLAs came to the House wearing badges on their shirts with slogans against the chief minister's statement. In his clarification, Mr Vijayan alleged that the Opposition was creating a ruckus in the House to cover up the internal feuds in the UDF. Quoting his statements on Thursday, he said that he had clarified that he did not allege any UDF links with extremist forces, but only said that some UDF MLAs were not able to recognise the extremists and that their act would only support the extremist forces.
I never said that all the people of Aluva were extremists, but only referred to the extremist links of those who protested against the police, Mr Vijayan clarified. One of them was a co-accused in several cases involving Muhammed Rahim, a terrorist killed in an encounter in Kashmir. "Not only extremists, but those with terrorist links were among those who protested against the police. I am telling this on the basis of conviction," he said. Mr Vijayan also alleged that the Congress had the history of aligning with extremists like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Punjab.
