Congress Legislature Party moves Kerala Assembly Speaker against CM Vijayan, State Police chief Sheikh Darvez Sahib

Congress legislator moves petition against Kerala CM & police chief for breaching parliamentary privilege.

Congress legislator A.P. Anil Kumar moved the petition under Rule 154 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly accusing the duo of breaching parliamentary privilege

Thiruvananthapuram Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has moved Kerala Legislative Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamsheer against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and State police chief Sheikh Darvez Sahib, accusing the duo of breaching parliamentary privilege by arbitrarily unleashing the police against legislators who marched “peacefully” to the police headquarters (PHQ) on December 23.

Congress legislator A.P. Anil Kumar moved the petition under Rule 154 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Mr. Kumar is poised to move the breach of privilege motion when the Assembly convenes in 2024.

If passed by the House, the punishment entails a reprimand, imprisonment or both. Given the ruling front majority in the Assembly, the motion will likely be little more than a strong political statement and token protest against the government and State law enforcement.

Mr. Kumar said Congress had organised the march to the PHQ to protest the police action against Opposition activists flaunting black flags at the bus ferrying the cabinet to Navkerala Sada’s venues.

He said the police also aided and abetted the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] assaults on the roadside protesters.

Moreover, in Alappuzha, the Chief Minister’s security detail had assaulted Kerala Students Union (KSU) black flag protestors detained at the spot by the local police. Nevertheless, Mr. Vijayan had defended the extra-judicial action.