MLAs, wardens injured as protests against Speaker turn aggressive

The Kerala Assembly complex witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday when a section of opposition UDF legislators who marched to the office of Speaker A N Shamseer, accusing him of being biased in the House, got into a scuffle with house marshals.

At least four Opposition MLAs and seven watch-and-ward staff who were injured in the exchange have sought treatment at various hospitals here, sources said.

The watch-and-ward staff, also known as house marshals, oversee the security of the State Assembly and work under the control of the Speaker and the Secretary to the Legislature.

All hell broke loose in the Assembly complex on Wednesday morning after the Opposition staged a walkout and marched to Shamseer’s office, raising slogans and holding a banner in their hands saying, ‘Speaker should show justice’. It was triggered by the Speaker’s denial of the opposition’s notice for an adjournment motion in the House on women’s security.

Things became tense in the Assembly complex as the watch-and-ward staff tried to remove the opposition MLAs by force from the premises of the Speaker’s office, and the latter resisted firmly.

When heated arguments ensued and a scuffle broke out between the legislators and the security personnel, Chalakudy MLA T J Saneesh Kumar Joseph developed some uneasiness and was shifted soon to the medical room.

Kumar has since been admitted to the Medical College Hospital here, the office of the Leader of the Opposition said.

The Congress-led UDF alleged that besides the watch-and-ward personnel, some ruling party legislators and the personal staff of some ministers had also assaulted the Opposition MLAs.

Senior legislator and former home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was pushed, and MLA K K Rema’s hand was twisted as she was dragged on the floor by four-five women marshals, they alleged.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan told reporters in the media room that four of their MLAs — Rema, A K M Ashraf, T V Ibrahim and Saneesh Kumar — suffered injuries.

Sources in the Speaker’s office said seven watch-and-ward personnel, including five women, were injured as well.

They have been admitted to the General Hospital here.