UDF begins relay 'Satyagraha' in Kerala Assembly
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep13: The Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala today began a relay 'satyagraha' in the foyer of the House, demanding an inquiry and resignation of Forest Minister Binoy Viswam in the ISRO land deals at Ponmudi near here.
Four UDF members began the fast after the Opposition staged a walk out in protest against the refusal of an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Congress member K C Venugopal on yesterday's police lathicharge on Youth Congress activists.
Mr Venugopal alleged that Youth Congress activists, who staged a rally to the state Secretariat demanding the resignation of the Forest Minister and also Health Minister P K Sreemathy for her alleged connection in the Kiliroor sex racket case, were brutally beaten up by the police. He alleged that the police were trying to suppress the agitation against corruption.
Replying the notice, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said police maintained utmost restraint yesterday and the government would not take any step to suppress agitations being carried out in a democratic manner. However, if there was a move to unleash violence, the government could not tolerate it.
The Opposition members returned to the House and participated in the proceedings after staging a walk out unlike on previous occasions when they disrupted the proceedings. The Opposition was on an agitation for the past one week alleging that the Forest Minister had helped a private party to sell notified ecologically fragile land at Ponmudi to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for setting up the Space Institute
UNI