Kerala Governor P Sathasivam on Friday scripted a history in the state Assembly when he asked CPI(M)-led LDF Opposition members to ‘sit quiet or leave the House’ as they tried to disrupt his address on the first day of this year’s session. The former CJI’s remark came when the LDF repeatedly tried to obstruct his customary policy address with slogans demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and some of his Cabinet colleagues, facing bribery allegations in the bar and solar scams.
According to Assembly sources, this is the first time in state Assembly history that the Governor has chided the Opposition. During similar instances earlier, the Governors either used to cut short their address or place it on the table of the House, which is taken as read. As the protest continued, an annoyed Justice Sathasivam, asked the Opposition to allow him to complete his constitutional duties and requested them to “sit quiet or leave the House.”
The Governor kept his cool but asserted that he has to fulfil the constitutional duty.
When some LDF members requested the Governor to table the address, Sathasivam quipped “I have full energy and I will read it slowly.”
The Governor said,”You have raised your democratic protest. Your are opposing this government. That is enough. You should allow me to do my constitutional duty. I am noting all your objections.”
“The entire nation is watching. People are noting your objection... I think there is some limit. Beyond a point, it cannot be tolerated,” he said addressing CPI-M veteran and Opposition leader, VS Achuthanandan. At one point, the Governor even asked the Opposition to read the Constitution. Seeing no let up in the LDF protest, Sathasivam told CPI-M state secretary and deputy leader of the Opposition in the House, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan that “this may happen to you also.”
“I am aware whatever protest you are doing is not against me, but against the government,” he said to pacify the Opposition. Later, the Opposition trooped out raising slogans against the government and Chief Minister.
The Governor took over two-and-half-hours to complete his 78-page address in which he focused on the achievements of the five year rule of the UDF government after LDF boycotted it.
The Governor described the 5-year-rule of Chandy government as the ‘golden age of opportunities,’ and said it had ensured the realisation of some of the major infrastructure projects of the state.
“The first among them would be the Rs 5181-crore Kochi Metro Rail Project, the first phase of which will be over by June 2016,” Sathasivam said.
He also mentioned various other development projects including the proposed Light Metro Rail at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, for which the government had signed an agreement with DMRC, Kannur International Airport and Kochi Smart City.
He said the state government's Kerala Technology Start-Up Policy in 2015, the first such policy in the country, had boosted a tremendous momentum in creating a conducive atmosphere for start-ups to succeed.