Proceedings in the Kerala Legislative Assembly were repeatedly disrupted on Tuesday after Opposition members staged a protest over alleged lapses in the probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House. During Question Hour, legislators from the Congress-led UDF trooped into the Well, raising slogans and displaying placards. As the protest intensified, some members moved toward the Speaker’s dais, leading to heated exchanges and brief jostling before watch-and-ward staff intervened. Despite repeated appeals from Speaker A. N. Shamseer to restore order, the uproar continued, leaving adjournment as the only option.
Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan alleged that the Special Investigation Team probing the case was facing undue pressure from the Chief Minister’s Office, causing delays in filing charge sheets and enabling some accused to secure statutory bail. The UDF demanded a detailed discussion and a transparent, time-bound investigation. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, criticised the Opposition’s conduct as unbecoming of the legislature and defended the government’s position amid the escalating standoff.
