Choas in Kerala Assembly as Congress likens Pinarayi Vijayan to Modi

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly that resumed its budget session on Monday, ended in turmoil soon after Question hour with the Leader of Opposition and Chief Minister engaging in verbal dual after V.D.Satheesan compared Pinarayi Vijayan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Right from the Question Hour, the entire opposition was in combative mood against the levying of Rs 2 cess on fuel proposed in the budget and handling of agitators, including the Congress-led Opposition, protesting against it.

Youth Congress president Shafi Parambil raised the issue and slammed Vijayan over his present style of functioning and a huge convoy accompanying him on the roads.

"It's strange that Vijayan now is scared of black colour and anyone who wears either a black mask, of an outfit or waves a flag is taken into custody if he is passing by or attending a meeting. Not long ago, this same Vijayan when in the Opposition had criticised police action against those waving black flags," Parambil alleged.

Vijayan then got into the action and said he would have replied if he was the old Vijayan.

"You can ask your K.Sudhakaran (president of the State Congress party) about it. Thirteen times the Centre has charged a levy and why is that the Congress here has not raised any issues about it. The protests that you see here are very small. With regards to the security cover, I am only having what's prescribed as per the protocol and it's the same what the Governor here and the Wayanad Lok Sabha member has (he did not name Rahul Gandhi)," said Vijayan.

But replying to it, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan called Vijayan the Malayalam version of Modi.

"It's just that Vijayan does not have a beard, an overcoat and doesn't speak Hindi. If you say that the protests on the roads are just two and three people, why are you moving in a huge convoy and why do you need more than 500 police officials waiting on the road, when you pass by. Please remember this is Kerala and not Stalin's Russia," said Satheesan.

In the midst of Satheesan's speech, the treasury benches were up on their feet and despite Speaker A.N.Shamseer repeated requests, the treasury and the opposition benches continued with the ruckus forcing the speaker to adjourn the house briefly.

As both refused to relent, the Speaker rushed through the listed business of the day amid the din and adjourned the House for the day.