The Kerala Legislative Assembly was thrown into turmoil on Monday when opposition lawmakers staged a protest over the alleged loss of gold sheets that were supposed to plate the sanctum of the Sabarimala shrine.
The outcry forced Speaker AN Shamseer to call off the Question Hour and temporarily adjourn the House.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan raised the issue during the scheduled Question Hour, demanding that the Devaswom Minister and the President of the Travancore Devaswom Board resign.
When the Speaker accepted the usual questions, the opposition walked into the House, carried placards, and shouted slogans such as “Ayyappan gold stolen” and “Temple looted.” They surrounded the Speaker’s podium, blocking his view.
Other ministers and ruling cabinet members stood up as the situation grew tense.
Finance Minister KN Balagopal slammed the opposition’s actions, calling the disruption unprecedented and improper.
“The Speaker is right to call this disrespectful to the people,” he said. “The opposition needs to use proper channels, not foreign‑themed protests.”
The Speaker told lawmakers to lower their banners, but the protesters refused.
Shamseer announced that the Question Hour would be cancelled again and questioned why the opposition had not presented a formal adjournment motion.
Last week the legislature tried to move an adjournment motion on the gold-plating issue, but the Speaker ruled it out because the matter was under the Kerala High Court’s review.
Despite that, the opposition said it would intensify its protests in the coming days.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh said: “The Assembly has debated more adjournment motions than ever before. The government has shown courage in addressing every issue, while the opposition has avoided it.”
He added that the opposition’s protest was a “staged drama” and that the government would bring any wrongdoer to justice.
“Our House, the Chair, and the people deserve respect, not this chaos,” Rajesh warned.
The controversy over the missing gold sheets at the Sabarimala shrine continues to stir public attention in Kerala, with lawmakers on both sides gearing up for further debates and protests.
Source: aninews
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