Solar scam rocks Assembly, House adjourns after LDF protest

Thiruvananthapuram: The heat over the solar scam on Tuesday continued to disrupt proceedings in Assembly even as Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that it was "painful" that the opposition was relying on the allegations of an accused in a criminal case.

The CPI-M-led LDF opposition members moved and squatted in the well of the House raising slogans against the government, prompting Speaker N Sakthan to adjourn the House for the day after hurriedly taking up the other businesses.

Trouble began when the opposition demanded a discussion on an adjournment motion on the bribery charges levelled by solar scam prime accused Saritha S Nair against Chandy and state power minister Aryadan Mohammed, which was rejected by Speaker, N Shakthan.

The House witnessed heated exchanges between the ruling and opposition members when CPI-M veteran and opposition leader V S Achuthanandan made some comments against Chandy's family members.

In his reply to the notice of the motion, Chandy rejected the charges and said it was "painful" that the opposition was attacking the government using the charges hurled by Saritha, a criminal case accused.

The opposition's move to use the allegation as a "political weapon" to attack the government would be rejected, he said.

He also claimed that the accused had made the allegations against the government as a "revenge" for strong measures against them.

However, Chandy said he was "pained" at the opposition's attitude of not giving him due consideration to be shown to a Chief Minister or a person in public life for such a long period.

Defending Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the allegations against him were "cruel and heinous".

He said the opposition was in such a "politically pathetic state" that they had to take up the charges levelled by a person, who was accused in over 60 criminal cases.