Kerala Assembly Adjourned After Opposition Demands Action Against Members Who "Misbehaved" With Women Lawmakers

The Kerala Assembly was today adjourned indefinitely after the opposition demanded that action be taken against the ruling party's lawmakers who they say misbehaved with women colleagues during the budget speech on March 13.  The opposition Left Democratic Front  also took out a procession demanding the resignation of Finance Minister KM Mani who's battling corruption allegations.

The opposition leaders began their protest against United Democratic Front (UDF) members as soon as the House convened today. The LDF leaders entered the well of the house, leading to the suspension of question hour.

On March 13, while Mr Mani read the budget speech, LDF lawmakers clashed with the assembly's staff, toppled the Speaker's chair and tore out his mike. The LDF has alleged that the Finance Minister accepted a bribe of Rs. 1 crore to renew licences of bars that were shut down by the administration last year. Mr Mani, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (M), is a key ally of Oommen Chandy's Congress-led government. In December last year, Kerala's Vigilance and Anti-Corruption bureau booked the finance minister as the first accused in the "bar scam case."

The Kerala assembly was adjourned last Monday as well, after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy suspended five opposition legislators for their role in the violence. The resolution for suspending the five legislators from the LDF was raised by Mr Chandy and later put to a voice vote. After the budget discussion was hastily cut short and the five suspended legislators refused to leave the House, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly until today.