Suryanelli gangrape: House adjourned over 'police excesses' on women MLAs

Two women MLAs allegedly roughed up by police during a march over the Suryanelli gangrape case staged a dharna in the well of the Assembly today.

CPI MLAs' Geeta Gopi and E S Bijimol squatted in the well of the house after CPI-M led LDF's demand for suspending 'erring' police personnel was rejected by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

Bijumol came to the house with a sling on her left hand and protested along with Geeta Gopi, following which Chandy requested Speaker G Karthikeyan to pass the supplementary Demands for Grants in the 2012-23 budget without discussion.

The house later did so, following which the Speaker adjourned it amidst protest by LDF members who raised slogans against the government.

Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan raised the issue of the women MLAs' just after zero hour and demanded immediate suspension of erring police personnel on the basis of the ADGP's inquiry report.

However, Chandy and Radhakrishnan maintained the report had not recommended suspension. "We cannot take action just to save ourself from this issue", Chandy added. He said it would not be proper for the house to continue with the debate while the two women MLAs' continued their protest in the well of the house.

Speaker G Karthikeyan also asked the MLAs to call of their agitation as "it is not proper to use the well of the house for protest purposes". Though Chandy said government is willing to order a judicial probe into the Feb 6 incident in front of the

Assembly complex, LDF insisted on immediate suspension of the "erring" police personnel.

Chandy, quoting the ADGP's report and video visuals, said nothing was found in them to take action against police officials, but government was ready for a probe, "considering the seriousness of the incident."

... contd.

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