The Congress attempt to bring Youth Congress leader Sabarinadhan's arrest on July 19 as an adjournment motion in the Assembly on Wednesday was scuttled.
Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar, who was in the chair, refused Congress MLA Shafi Parambil to even move the adjournment motion.
The Congress charge was that the LDF Government had misused its power to foist a fake conspiracy case against Sabarinadhan.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was running away from difficult questions. "The government has a mortal fear of Rule 50 and was depriving the Opposition of its privilege to raise relevant issues," Satheesan said. He requested the chair not to deny the Opposition its right to move an adjournment motion. "You can reject a discussion on the issue but allow us to move the motion," Satheesan said.
It was Law Minister P Rajeeve who raised objection against Shafi's motion. Rajeeve said that according to established rules, an adjournment motion could not be moved on an issue under the consideration of courts.
The Deputy Speaker, while refusing permission to move the motion, said there was nothing urgent in the adjournment motion, an essential condition for moving the motion. He also concurred with the Law Minister's argument that the issue was about to be considered in detail by the Court. Rajeeve had argued that the comments made by members on the issue in the Assembly would impact the court case.
The Deputy Speaker, however, said that Shafi Parambil could raise the issue as the first Submission. But the UDF did not take the offer as the Submission does not give a member the time an adjournment motion usually provides.
Moreover, in a Submission, the Chief Minister will have the last word. In an adjournment motion, in addition to the speech made by the Opposition member who moves the motion, the concluding remarks will be made by the Opposition Leader, which he can make use to demolish the government's arguments.
