Kerala Assembly rejects resolution to remove Speaker, oppn walks out
O RAJAGOPAL, THE LONE BJP MLA IN THE ASSEMBLY, SAID THE SPEAKER SHOULD BE A ROLE MODEL FOR ALL 140 MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The opposition on Thursday staged a walkout from the Kerala Assembly after it rejected a motion to remove Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan for his alleged role in the gold smuggling case.
The motion was moved by Muslim League legislator M Ummer who said that it would be ideal for the Speaker to stay away from office till the multiagency probe into the racket is over. Besides this, he also alleged irregularities in the modification of the assembly building and funding of the assembly-controlled TV news channel.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also suggested that the Speaker should quit till he is given a clean chit.
A heated discussion ensued for four hours in the House, which was presided over by Deputy Speaker V Sasi as Sreeramakrishnan sat with the remaining members.
Supporting the resolution to remove the Speaker, Chennithala said: “P Sreeramakrishnan will be the first person to hold the chair of a Speaker in the state’s history who is tainted for his association with smugglers. The Assembly is the temple of democracy and against no speaker, such charges like the association with gold smugglers have come out.”
O Rajagopal, the lone BJP MLA in the Assembly, said Sreeramakrishnan should be a role model for all 140 members in the House.
“But here the Speaker is accused of his association with smugglers, which is unfortunate,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Responding to the allegations, the Speaker said he was ready for a probe but had not received any summons so far. “I haven’t got any calls or summons from anyone. All the allegations are baseless and I am ready for any probe,” he said. “I am confident that there were no lapses on my part. So, I have no anxiety or fear,” he added.
The Customs are yet to summon Sreeramakrishnan based on the statement of main accused Swapna Suresh. On January 8, the Speaker’s personal assistant was interrogated for more than 10 hours.