Noisy scenes marked the opening day of the new Assembly session on Monday, with the Congress-led Opposition disrupting the proceedings after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan turned down their demand for a CBI investigation into the murder of a Youth Congress worker in Kannur.
Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan was forced to adjourn the House for the day after UDF members moved to the well of the House and shouted slogans accusing the government of shielding the assailants who had hacked Youth Congress worker S.P. Shuhaib to death. Sporting black badges, the UDF members brandished banners and placards describing the CPI(M) as a bloodthirsty outfit that had plotted the gruesome murder.
Earlier, the Question Hour was suspended following a vociferous protest by the Opposition. Moving an adjournment motion during Zero Hour, Congress legislator Sunny Joseph said the FIR and remand report prepared by the police investigation team had revealed the involvement of the CPI(M) in the murder. He said the real culprits were still at large as the police were yet to probe the conspiracy angle, two weeks after the incident.
CM given free hand
Terming the murder unfortunate and unjustifiable, the Chief Minister said scientific investigation and timely action by the police had resulted in the arrest of five of the accused within a week of the incident. He said the police had been given a free hand and assured the House that strong action would be taken against all those involved in the crime.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala accused the government of meddling in the ongoing investigation and demanded a CBI probe to unearth the conspiracy behind the killing. “The CPI(M) has blood on its hands. The party is using violence and murder to terrorise political opponents. It has let professional killers on the loose and shackled the police.”
The government, he said, had developed cold feet after Law Minister A.K. Balan initially agreed to a CBI probe into the murder. Mr. Chennithala said the UDF would seek legal recourse if the government refused to concede its demand.
Asserting that the police investigation was right on track, the Chief Minister ruled out a CBI probe at this juncture. “The police inquiry is efficient and impartial. The witnesses have identified the arrested persons as the assailants, leaving no room for suspicion.” He added that the conspiracy angle would also be probed.
During the discussion on the notice for the adjournment motion, both Mr. Chennithala and the Chief Minister listed various incidents of political violence in which CPI(M) and Congress workers were involved. Mr. Vijayan also claimed that incidents of political murders and violence had come down since the LDF assumed power.
