Thiruvananthapuram:
The CPI-M led LDF Opposition continued their protest in the Kerala Assembly for the third day on Thursday. They were demanding the arrest of IUML MLA PK Basheer, who has been named as an accused in an FIR in connection with a double murder case, leading to adjournment of the House ahead of schedule.
Speaker G Karthikeyan suspended the question hour as the Opposition raised slogans and displayed banners in the House demanding the arrest of Mr Basheer.
When the House re-assembled during zero hour, the Speaker sought the co-operation of the Opposition members for the smooth conduct of proceedings, but LDF members continued their protest with some of them sitting in the well of the House.
The Speaker then suspended the zero hour and took up other business slated for the day.
Amidst protest, the House passed four bills, including the Kerala State Housing Board (Amendment) Bill-2012 and the Kerala government Land Assignment (Amendment) Bill-2012.
Taking a dig at the LDF for creating disturbance in the House, Mr Karthikeyan said that the Kerala Assembly has created history by passing four bills in 15 minutes and announced the adjournment of the house for the day.
The Opposition was demanding the arrest of Mr Basheer, MLA from Ernad assembly segment in Malappuram district, for his alleged role in the murder of two brothers on Sunday.
The government had stated that it was of the view that a person could not be arrested just because of his or her name figured in an FIR filed by the police in a case.
The Opposition alleged that the government was protecting the MLA of IUML, the second largest partner of the ruling UDF, while the UDF termed the Opposition protest as a 'drama' to divert the attention of public from the "embarrassment and image loss" caused to CPI(M) over the killing of Revolutionary Marxist leader TP Chandrasekheran last month.