Chaos in Kerala assembly: MPs hurl chairs, break computers to stop 'corrupt' Mani from presenting budget

Dramatic scenes of violence and chaos were seen at the Kerala Assembly as a united opposition tried to prevent the state’s finance minister from presenting the state budget on Friday morning only to be stopped by MLAs from the treasury benches and Assembly guards.

Protests were being held outside the Kerala Assembly over state finance minister KM Mani presenting the budget but there was complete chaos in the Assembly as he rose to present the budget.

Opposition MLAs were seen damaging computers and throwing chairs as they went on a rampage inside the Kerala Assembly. They also reportedly threw water bottles and some could be seen standing on chairs shouting slogans.

Guards in the Assembly formed a human chain to prevent the opposition MLAs from getting to the Finance Minister.

The United Democratic Front MLAs surrounded Mani as he read out the budget. They later escorted him out of the Assembly while congratulating him on the budget even as Opposition MLAs continued to jostle against the guards and shouted slogans.

Opposition leader and Left front’s veteran VS Achuthanandan was perhaps the only MLA in his seat during the entire proceedings as the octogenarian leader stayed in his chair watching the chaos.

The last time such chaos was seen in a state assembly was the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 2012 when the Samajwadi Party MLAs went on a rampage when the speaker disallowed a debate. in 2014,  L Rajagopal, ex-Congress MP from Seemandhra used pepper spray in the Lok Sabha to prevent a debate on creation of Telangana.

Hundreds of activists of LDF and Yuva Morcha have converged around the state Assembly Complex in Thiruvananthapuram to try and prevent Mani from presenting the budget today over the bar bribery issue.

Tension mounted in the state capital after CPI(M)-led LDF opposition warned the Congress-headed UDF government that they would go to any extent if Mani, facing allegations in the bar bribery case, would try to present the budget and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy made it clear in the Assembly that Mani himself would present the budget as he has the constitutional right for it.

Putting pressure on the ruling Front, the LDF MLAs stayed in the Assembly complex on Thursday night as part of their plans to check Mani inside the House while he comes to present the budget in the morning.

Apparently fearing the blockage and siege, Mani and some of his cabinet colleagues also stayed back inside the Assembly complex on Thursday night.

Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had registered a case against Mani in December last year in connection with the allegations that he had accepted bribe from bar owners to renew liquor licences.

The allegations were levelled by Kerala state Bar Hotel Owner’s Association Working President Biju Ramesh.

with inputs from PTI