Opposition stages walkout, boycotts Kerala Assembly proceedings

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) boycotted the proceedings of the Kerala Legislative Assembly after Speaker AN Shamseer did not allow an adjournment motion to grant parole to the CPI(M) councillor, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being involved in an attempt to kill police personnel by throwing a bomb.

The Speaker refused to grant the request for adjournment under Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure, after deciding that the matter did not meet the urgency required to suspend the proceedings of the Assembly for detailed discussion. He said the Opposition could raise the issue as a presentation, leading to protests by Opposition members who gathered in the well of the Parliament, carrying banners and chanting slogans.

Satheesan’s question

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said that the issue raised by the Opposition was related to the law and order situation in the state. Mr. Satheesan said, “The issue we have raised involves the granting of parole to a person convicted of a serious crime for 20 years and to a person who was involved in crime while out of parole. If there is no urgency in such a matter, why is the House meeting? Will it not be allowed to debate on issues in which the government finds itself in an unsuitable position?” he asked.

Minister for Local Self Government M B Rajesh said the Opposition was raising extraneous issues as it was facing a severe lack of issues to be raised in the Assembly. “Parole in this case was allowed on January 8, 2026. The Parliament met for 4-5 days thereafter. If this issue had been urgent, the Opposition would have already raised the issue. On January 22, the Opposition did not move an adjournment motion,” he said.

‘We are dispersing the anger of the people’

Mr. Rajesh accused the UDF of collaborating with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and trying to divert public anger over Kerala’s demands being ignored in the Union Budget. “Today, the entire state is discussing the Union government’s cruel attitude towards Kerala. People have realized that what we said all along was true and the claims of UDF and BJP were lies. Now UDF is raising this issue to divert people’s anger from BJP,” he said.

Even as opposition members gathered in the well of the Parliament and shouted slogans against the government, petitions and calls for attention were floated. After about an hour of slogans, opposition members went on strike.