Pandemonium in Kerala Assembly over BJP leader's remarks against Rahul Gandhi

The Opposition UDF disrupted Assembly proceedings on Tuesday in protest against Speaker AN Shamseer's refusal to entertain an adjournment motion on the government's refusal to arrest a BJP leader who had made incendiary remarks against Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi during a TV debate. 

The notice for an adjournment motion to suspend Assembly proceedings to discuss the Rahul Gandhi issue was moved by Congress's Peravoor MLA and KPCC President Sunny Joseph. The Speaker rejected the motion right away. "The issue has neither the importance nor the urgency to be taken up as an adjournment motion. Sunny Joseph can, however, raise it as the first Submission of the day," the Speaker said. The UDF MLAs rushed towards the Speaker and swarmed the raised railing that protected the Speaker's podium. 

Opposition Leader VD Satheeshan expressed his strong disapproval. "The subject of the notice given by Sunny Joseph is a very grave one. It is about a BJP leader's remark that the country's Opposition Leader's chest would be pierced with bullets. Sir, I register my strong objection to your comment that it is an irrelevant case, that it is a non-serious issue," Satheesan said.

The UDF wanted to frame the issue as yet another example of a covert CPM-BJP understanding. "Isn't the government obliged to respond to a threat against the country's Opposition Leader. A case was registered against the BJP leader only a day before (September 28), two days after the remarks were made," Satheesan said, and added: "The government is trying to protect him. He has not even been arrested."

The Speaker raised his voice over Satheesan's and said, "I respect Rahul Gandhi as much as you do". "But anything spoken by a random person during a (TV) channel debate cannot be raised in the floor of the House," he said and, unmindful of the noise around him, rushed through the day's proceedings. 

By then, a banner calling for the Speaker to be impartial had been unfurled across the railing, partially blocking the Speaker's view. The mild sloganeering of the UDF members turned aggressive after Industries Minister P Rajiv taunted them. "These people have not organised even a single street protest. They did not bother to take up the issue in the Assembly on September 27 or 28. They did not even raise a Submission. This just shows that they are not with Rahul Gandhi," Rajiv said. Apparently stung, the agitating UDF members clambered up the steps to the Speaker's podium, where they were blocked by the watch and ward staff. 

In fact, the Congress did hold a demonstration across the State on September 28, demanding the arrest of the BJP spokesperson who had said Rahul would be shot if he ever attempted to organise a revolt against the Narendra Modi government. 

The day's proceedings, which included discussions on three bills that could have taken at least eight hours, were wound up in just 10 minutes. 

The BJP spokesperson, Printu Mahadevan, made the remarks during a television debate on September 26 on the Gen Z protests in Nepal. He said that such agitations would not occur in India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies were embraced by the people. If Gandhi dared to unleash such protests, Mahadevan said his chest would be peppered with bullets.

A case was registered against Mahadevan, a former ABVP leader, on September 28 based on a complaint by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Secretary Sreekumar CC. The FIR cited provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), Section 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) and Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation).