Thiruvananthapuram: Speaker A N Shamseer on Friday refused to allow an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on the latest developments related to the CMRL-Veena Vijayan alleged 'no sweat' deal.
It was Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan who moved the motion in the Assembly and it came a day after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs handed over the case against Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic, to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). The Registrar of Companies, under the Corporate Affairs Ministry, had earlier called for a detailed investigation into the CMRL's transactions with Veena Vijayan and her company.
The Speaker did not even allow the notice for the motion to be tabled saying that it violated Kerala Assembly Rules of Procedure. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan attempted to object. "This adjournment motion does not violate rule 52 of the Rules of Procedure," he said. The Speaker cut him short, and speaking over the Opposition Leader, said: "With all due respect to the Opposition Leader, I will read out clause 53."
Here is what the Speaker read out. "No motion which seeks to raise discussion on the matter pending before any statutory tribunal or statutory authority performing any judicial or quasi-judicial functions or any commission or court of enquiry appointed to enquire into or investigate any matter shall ordinarily be permitted to be moved."
In protest, the Opposition UDF marched towards the dais of the Speaker carrying large banners and shouting slogans. As is normally done during such protests they tried to block the view of the Speaker. However, Shamseer ignored the chaos in front of him and went ahead with the day's proceedings. Quite unexpectedly, the Opposition quickly wound up their protest and trooped out of the House. "Such protests can be done peacefully like this," the Speaker was heard saying as if thanking the UDF for not disrupting the functioning of the House.
On January 31, while replying to the discussion on the Governor's address, the Chief Minister made an emotional response to the scandal involving his daughter. He had said his daughter set up her form with the retirement benefits secured by "her mother, my wife".
Later, meeting reporters outside the Legislative Complex, the Opposition Leader said that Pinarayi Vijayan was unfit to occupy the Chief Minister's chair. "He should resign. A major investigation (SFIO) has been launched against him," he said.
Further, Satheesan said he had confronted the Chief Minister about the falsehoods he had told in the Assembly. "When Mathew Kuzhalnadan first raised the issue in the Assembly, he said his daughter's company was not given the chance to explain its position. Later, the Registrar of Companies said that the company had not provided any details even after they were asked to. It has nothing to show. So what the Chief Minister said in the Assembly was an unadulterated lie," Satheesan said. "It is because he has nothing to say that the Chief Minister keeps holding up his palms saying both his hands are pure," he added.
The Chief Minister was not present in the Assembly when the adjournment motion was moved.
