Govt. trying to silence Oppn.: LDF

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 29. The LDF has accused the Government of trying to silence the Opposition by not agreeing to a reasonable resolution of the stalemate in the Assembly.

The Opposition leaders told reporters after bringing the proceedings of the Assembly to a premature halt this morning that the Government's insistence that there could be any discussion only after the Opposition gave up its agitation over the suspension of three LDF legislators was intended to ensure that the Opposition did not get the opportunity to participate in the deliberations in the House.

"We are not school children to say sorry so that we can return to the House," the CPI(M) Deputy Legislature Party leader, Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, said.

The CPI(M) leader said that the Opposition had cooperated with the Government for the smooth conduct of the question hour in the hope that the Government would honour its promise to review the suspension if the Opposition cooperated with the proceedings.

This was the impression that the former Speaker, Mr. Varkala Radhakrishnan, had got when he held discussions with the Speaker, Mr. Vakkom Purushothaman, and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. M. M. Hassan.

But the Government seemed bent on reaping political capital out of the stalemate.

The attempt was to make it appear that the Opposition was not interested in the smooth conduct of the proceedings. On the contrary, the Opposition was keen that the business of the House proceeded smoothly because there were several important issues to be taken up in the House.

Suicide by 18 farmers during the last few months, the allegations against the Chief Minister in connection with the JBIC-aided drinking water supply scheme and the Irrigation Minister's total silence on the issue were all matters calling for urgent attention.

A meeting of party leaders could have been convened today itself to find a way out of the current impasse. This had been done in the past.

When Mr. M. Vijayakumar was the Speaker no action had been taken against any member and when Mr. P. P. Thankachan was the Speaker, suspensions were withdrawn through discussions.

If the Government was not amenable to an amicable settlement, the Opposition would consider launching a strong agitation, he added.

Mr. K. P. Rajendran (CPI) said the people had the right to know what the Irrigation Minister had written in the file relating to award of consultancy in the JBIC-aided scheme and the move to privatise 1,050 drinking water supply schemes of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). This would be possible only if discussions took place in the Assembly.

But the Government seemed particular that no discussion took place in the House, he said.

Mr. A. C. Shanmughadas (NCP) said the Chief Minister had cleverly evaded the issue today knowing full well that as the House Leader only he could bring the stalemate to an end.

Mr. Antony, he said, was adopting such an evasive stand because he was afraid that divergent views within the ruling Front on many issues would come to the fore if Assembly debates proceeded smoothly.

Dr. K. C. Joseph (KC-J) said it was unfortunate that the Government did not respond to the good gesture shown by the Opposition in the Assembly today. What the Chief Minister did was to put the ball in the Speaker's court and if the issue still remained unresolved, it was only on account of the Chief Minister's lack of interest in solving it, he added.

Mr. A. A. Aziz (RSP) accused the Chief Minister of having adopted an escapist attitude. Mr. C. K. Nanu (JD-S) hoped that the Government would at least now see reason and do its bit to end the stalemate.

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