Left govt weakening confidence of Kerala Police: Congress-led UDF

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led UDF on Wednesday accused the ruling Left government of weakening the confidence of the police by citing the recent transfer of officers from Thalassery, in Kannur district, for taking action against CPI(M) workers allegedly involved in a conflict during a temple festival there.

The UDF opposition tried to raise the issue in the House by moving a notice to adjourn the Assembly business for the day and discuss the matter, but permission for the same was denied by Speaker A N Shamseer saying that it has no public importance and neither was it an urgent matter.

Shamseer suggested that the issue may be raised as a submission in the House, but the opposition rejected it and demanded that it be permitted by adjourning the Assembly business for the day.

As the Speaker declined to do so, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that Shamseer was denying permission to the issue as it was "inconvenient" for the Left government.

"This is not right. Adjournment notices are not moved or permitted according to the convenience of the government. To deny permission to issues which the government does not like is a wrong stand.

"It is a violation of House precedents," Satheesan said and subsequently, the opposition staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest.

Last month, during a temple festival in Kannur, there was a clash between CPI(M) and RSS workers and when the police intervened, they were allegedly assaulted and threatened by the Left party's activists.

Subsequently, after Thalassery police took action against several CPI(M) workers for obstructing their duty, two officers from there were reportedly transferred to different stations in the district. This was the issue which the opposition wanted to raise in the House.