Kerala Assembly: UDF disrupts proceedings over ‘remission’ of convicts in T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case

UDF disrupts Kerala Assembly over alleged conspiracy to release TP Chandrasekharan's killers; Opposition accuses government of breaching parliamentary etiquette.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) disrupted the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 25 after Speaker A.N. Shamseer denied the Opposition’s notice for an emergency debate on the alleged political conspiracy to grant remission of life sentences slapped on “hired killers” convicted for the assassination of CPI(M) rebel and Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) founder T.P. Chandrasekharan at Onchiyam in Kozhikode in 2012.

Chandrasekharan’s wife and RMP legislator from the Vadakara Assembly constituency, K.K. Rema, set the stage for the strained showdown between Treasury and Opposition benches during Zero Hour by giving notice for an emergency debate on the “barefaced” attempt to release her husband’s killers despite the Kerala High Court recently expanding their sentence to two life terms without the scope of parole for 20 years.

Mr. Shamseer denied discussion on Ms. Rema’s notice by stating that the government had not contemplated such a move and that the convicts would serve their sentence period.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan attempted to entangle Mr. Shamseer in a back-and-forth by accusing the Chair of committing an egregious breach of parliamentary etiquette by endeavouring to reply for the government.

“The government had set the sentence remission process in fast motion. Denying it is a barefaced lie and challenge to the rule of law”, he said.

Mr. Shamseer said he could not allow further discussion on the subject and moved on to the next item on the list of business.

Angered Opposition legislators trooped to the well of the House and mobbed the Speaker’s dais. Many held accusatory placards blocking the Chair’s view of the Assembly.