JOIN USKerala Finance Minister K M Mani created a record of sorts on Friday by presenting the annual state Budget in record six minutes.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly witnessed high drama and unprecedented scenes of vandalism and scuffles between ruling and opposition legislators.
Mani, however, managed to “table” his 13th Budget.
Opposition MLAs, including senior CPM leaders Thomas Isaac and V Sivankutty, prevented Speaker N Sakthan from entering his dais. They stormed into the dais, upturned the Speaker’s chair and broke his computer and microphone.
The Speaker returned — this time in a security ring formed by the watch-and-ward staff — to his dais even as Mani made an entry with a microphone pinned to his jubba.
After the Speaker “gestured” Mani to present the Budget, the minister, heavily guarded by UDF MLAs, read out in six minutes a prelude to his Budget speech and “tabled” the Budget to loud cheers from the ruling legislators.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government claimed successful thwarting of opposition protests while the CPM-led opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) questioned the credibility of the budget presented without a formal clearance from the Speaker.
Mani later read out details of the Budget to reporters in the media room. The minister has been facing protests over allegations that he accepted bribe from bar owners.
Mani stayed overnight in the Assembly complex on Thursday to avoid protests on the road on Budget day. Opposition MLAs also stayed in to counter the move.
Even as UDF MLAs celebrated the Budget by distributing laddoos, opposition MLAs continued to take on the security staff.
The scuffles left Sivankutty complaining of physical discomfort. He was later administered medical treatment. Leader of the Opposition V S Achuthanandan told reporters that about 20 Opposition MLAs, including five women: Jameela Prakasham, K S Saleekha, K K Lathika, Geetha Gopi and E S Bijimol, were injured.
Congress MLA K Sivadasan Nair displayed “bite marks” on his upper arm, allegedly from a scuffle with Jameela Prakasham. Attacks on homes of Nair and M A Vaheed, another Congress MLA, were reported.
Outside of the House, protests by LDF and BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha turned central parts of the city into a battleground. A police vehicle was torched and clashes between police and protestors were reported from many locations. Police used water cannons and tear gas to control the situation.
The LDF has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala on Saturday to protest the “attacks” against opposition MLAs in the Assembly and outside. The hartal will be held from 6 am to 6 pm.
The opposition is also set to apprise Governor P Sathasivam of their apprehensions on the legitimacy of the Budget.