Thiruvananthapuram: What looked like yet another day of routine disruptive tactics of the Opposition in the Assembly on Wednesday  quickly heated up with the ruling and opposition members nearly coming to blows. Never before in the last decade had LDF-UDF bitterness descended this low in the Assembly.

The UDF had been stalling the Assembly's functioning for the last two days over the Sabarimala gold theft issue.

On Wednesday, the third day of the protest, the UDF sloganeering around the raised wood-panelled railing around the Speaker's podium went on without event for more than 45 minutes of the Question Hour, the first agenda of the day. However, the UDF slogans badmouthing the government and calling ministers thieves sounded far more aggressive than the last two days. Yet, Speaker A N Shamseer, unlike in the last two days when he cancelled the Question Hour 15 minutes into the UDF protest, defiantly soldiered on. He refused to yield.

Chaos began after a contingent of female Watch & Ward (W&W) staff were deployed to block the mostly male UDF MLAs grouped along the left side of the Speaker's dais. This looked like a smart move to deter the MLAs from swarming the base of the Speaker's dais. As anticipated, the MLAs moved to the right side of the dais causing a bit of overcrowding in the area near the Chief Minister's corner. Here, another contingent of the W&W staff, mostly men, were already positioned. There began an intense standoff with the UDF MLAs and the W&W staff caught in a tight lock like medieval armies before the start of a war in movies. It looked like the UDF MLAs wanted to force their way up the steps to the Speaker's dais, and the W&W human wall stood firmly in the way.

As the thrusting and parrying near the Speaker's podium turned more aggressive, general education minister V Sivakutty, seated a row behind the CM and to his wide right, was at his provocative best. He was utterly dismissive of the UDF MLAs and mockingly asked them to hold their placards properly. The other day Sivankutty was heard telling the slogan-shouting UDF members that he would teach them how to mount a protest.

Congress MLA Roji M John responded to the minister's sneers by holding aloft a  blown up photograph of Sivankutty running amok in the Assembly on Budget Day in 2013. This was Sivankutty's turn to feel slighted and the angry minister was heard telling Roji to get lost in a street slang that is considered a profanity inside the Assembly. He wanted Roji thrown out of the Assembly.

The ruling party members, particularly ministers, by now were drawn to what was happening near the CM to worry about the insult inflicted on Sivankutty. The CM was seen having an agitated conversation with Congress MLA A P Anilkumar, who was behind the crowd that kept trying to tunnel through the W&W wall. Anilkumar looked a bit taken aback by the CM's exasperation. He also talked back, more clueless than angry. 

By then PWD minister Mohammad Riyas and culture minister Saji Cherian rushed to the CM's side, seemingly outraged ruling side MLAs in tow. 

The W&W staff quickly hurled themselves in between like a barricade before the LDF and the UDF members could charge into each other. At this sign of sudden blaze, the Speaker suspended the proceedings and left the House. Angry and explosive words continued to be exchanged but, to the credit of the UDF, its MLAs made a retreat and got back to their seats. Taunts flew thick from the LDF side.

After the Speaker returned, the leaders gave their own versions of what transpired a few minutes ago. Opposition leader V D Satheeshan said it was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who began the provocation. He said the UDF members had exercised restraint even when they were pushed by the W&W staff. He also said that it were ministers Riyas and Saji Cherian who first rushed to the well of the House. The Speaker objected, saying the ministers had not done so. "Why are you lying," Satheesan shouted at the Speaker and said the UDF was boycotting the day's proceedings and walked out.

The most dramatic of the responses was that of Parliamentary affairs minister M B Rajesh. He said the Opposition Leader had deputed Congress MLAs A P Anilkumar and T Siddique to attack the CM. Even the CM did not acknowledge this when he spoke. 

Rajesh's other observation was perhaps meant to resonate deeply with those closely following the Israel-Palestine conflict.  He said that Congress MLA Uma Thomas, who recently had a near fatal fall and was still on medication, was used as a human shield by the UDF. "It is diabolical to use such a woman as human shield. This only shows that the  UDF will plumb unknown depths for political gains," Rajesh said. 

The CM, on his part, was more worried about the pain the UDF members were inflicting on the W&W staff. "I saw one of them showing signs of disorientation and that's when I intervened," he said, perhaps hinting that this caused his exchange of words with Anilkumar.

Pinarayi also did something unbecoming of the exalted Constitutional position he holds. He referred to the dimunitive size of an UDF MLA and made fun of what he termed the MLA's show of aggression before the W&W staff. "Seeing his body it is clear that the chap is not capable of anything of this sort," the CM said.