Opposition stages walkout over police raid

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 17 (UNI) The Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) today staged a walk out in the Kerala Assembly demanding an assurance from Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan that he would visit the Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor, where a police raid was carried out recently.

Replying to a submission on the issue by Mr K M Mani of the Kerala Congress (M), the Home Minister said the search was carried out as per the direction of the High Court and he could visit the place only after getting legal opinion on the issue.

On the demand for handing over the pictures and visuals of inmates, including AIDS and mentally challenged patients, Mr Balakrishnan said the search was carried out by a special police team constituted under the direction of the High Court.

The state government was not in the possession of the photographs and they would be submitted directly to the court, he said.

He assured the House that there would not be any action from the government that would hurt the sentiments of believers.

The police had inspected the retreat centre on September 30 following a High Court order to assess its functioning. The court order came after it received an anonymous letter and two compact discs implicating the Divine Retreat Centre in a series of crimes and irregularities such as murder, foreign exchange violations and running a hospital without a proper licence.

Earlier, leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy said the Home Minister should visit the centre to get an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Mr K M Mani alleged that AIDS patients were interrogated in a cruel manner by the police.

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