Oppn in Kerala stages walk out over Kattapana violence

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 30: The Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) today staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly, demanding action against the CPI(M) workers who attacked UDF leaders at Kattappana during elections to a cooperative bank.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition G Karthikeyan said MLA Roshy Augustine, Idukki DCC President P T Thomas and several others were injured in the attack by CPI(M) activists yesterday.

Dissatisfied with the Minister's reply as Mr Augustine was the third UDF MLA to have sustained injuries in LDF attack or police action, all the Opposition members staged a walkout.

However, police failed to curb violence against the UDF workers.

It was suspected a section of the policemen and the CPI(M) were hand in glove to unleash violence against the Congress throughout the State, he said.

Earlier, opposing the admissibility of an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Mr K Babu of the Congress, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said there was no explosive situation in the region that warranted a discussion in the House.

He said several people were injured when two groups of people pelted stones at each other outside the polling station. Police registered a case against a group of CPI(M) activists for attacking the MLA and others and two other cases against LDF and UDF cadres for attacking the policemen.

UNI