"Speaker is denying our rights to speak in Assembly": Kerala Opposition leader VD Satheesan

"Today we tried to raise the issue regarding women security in Kerala. Recently, a school girl aged 16 was brutally attacked by four criminals in Thiruvananthapuram district. We have gone through the statistics regarding the violence against women and children in the state. It is increasing day by day. We tried to raise this issue in the assembly but unfortunately the speaker denied us the oppurtunity on flimsy grounds. For the last so many days the speaker is denying our rights to speak in the assembly. Yesterday we met the speaker and expressed our displeasure but he said he was helpless," VD Satheesan told media.

The Congress leader Satheesan alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also not ready to answer any questions.

"He (Vijayan) is the chief minister of the state and he is also in charge of the Home Affairs. He is answerable to the public and to the opposition. When the question on women's security arises, this is the right platform to raise this issue. But unfortunately they are denying us all the opportunities. So we boycotted the assembly and staged a walk-out," Satheesan added.

Satheesan also said that the Congress party has convened a meeting on March 16 and would be protesting in front of the speaker's office.

The opposition leader added, "The governor also does not want to answer our questions. We are 41 in terms of strength in the assembly while they (ruling party) are 99. From the very beginning they have appointed a ten membered back bench to interrupt and disrupt my speech. This will be the first instance in the history of Kerala assembly that 10 members of the ruling party try to interrupt the speech of the leader of the opposition."

Satheesan also lashed out at Vijayan and said that the CM is trying to imitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"What is happening in the Parliament, the same thing is happening in the Kerala assembly," he said.

Satheesan said that the Sabha TV is only for the ruling party and they have marked their protest in a letter to the speaker and are awaiting a reply.

"CM had the chance to express his opinion for two days but he like always stayed silent. Today he made a rule 300 statement in the Assembly. CM knews that there won't be discussions for the 300 statement because that's the rule. So CM was just like Akashavani. And no answer just like Maan ki Baat. Nobody can question him. He also did not mention anything about the controversial company. So we have boycotted the business advisory committee meeting," said Satheesan. (ANI)