Speaker suspends 2 Kerala CPM MLAs

Amid the continuing uproar in the Assembly,Speaker G Karthikeyan suspended two CPM legislators,T V Rajesh and James Mathew

Amid the continuing uproar in the Assembly,Speaker G Karthikeyan on Monday suspended two CPM legislators,T V Rajesh and James Mathew,for two days on charges of disrespectful behaviour in the House. Following the Speakers decision,the Opposition members launched a sit-in protest in the House. Several CPM leaders thronged the Assembly complex to express solidarity with the agitating legislators.

Mondays turbulence in the Assembly was a sequel to Fridays commotion,when Opposition members rushed to the well of the House demanding action against an assistant commissioner of police for reportedly firing at students in Kozhikode last week.

The Opposition members,including Rajesh and Mathew,tried to barge into the Speakers chamber and were stopped by the security staff. A woman watch-and-ward staff complained she was physically assaulted by the CPM legislators.

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When the session began this morning,the government and Opposition reached the consensus that the two CPM legislators would submit an explanation to the Speaker expressing their regret over Fridays incident. The two legislators then submitted a note.

While giving a ruling,the Speaker said this was the first time that a woman security staff had complained about assault in the House. Even as the Speaker observed that the members had expressed their regret,both Mathew and Rajesh intervened with loud protests,saying the Speaker was lying. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy then moved the motion to suspend the two members,which was ratified.