Kerala suffers huge setback as SC snubs its plea
TRIVANDRUM: The Congress party-led opposition stepped up its atack on Kerala’s Let Democratic Front (LDF) government over the Supreme Court’s remarks against it this week.
The government moved the apex court against the Kerala High Court judgement against LDF legislators who vandalised the State Legislative Assembly in 2015.
The police had booked six prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders, including present and former ministers, for destroying public properties.
They approached the HC as the chief judicial magistrate here began trial in the case in October ater rejecting their individual plea to stop proceedings against them.
Following this, the then industries minister EP Jayarajan and higher education minister KT Jaleel appeared before the trial court and obtained bail.
The court had earlier overruled the decision of the cabinet headed by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw the case and issued summons to the defenders.
Following this, other CPI ( M) leaders V Sivankuty, who is the education minister now, Kunjahammad, CK Sadasivan and K Ajith appeared before the court and took bail.
The defenders face charges of destruction of public properties, criminal trespass and mischief causing damage.
Their atempt was to prevent Mani from presenting the annual budget accusing him of taking bribes from hoteliers for liquor permits.
They clashed with the marshals, flung the speaker’s chair, destroyed electronic systems and tried to atack the then chief minister, Oommen Chandy. The government decided to withdraw the case ater the state elections and change of guard in 2016.
The legislators unleashed violence on March 13, 2015, and stormed the dais of the speaker raising slogans against the minister.
Vijayan decided to withdraw the case on a request by Sivankuty, who lost the election next year. He had hopped across the desks and protested until he fainted.
The decision of the government had drawn widespread criticism from all quarters, including Mani’s Kerala Congress party which has since switched sides. Following this, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, the then home minister, and two others moved the chief judicial magistrate court raising objections.