The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday witnessed a heated exchange between CM V D Satheesan and Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan over remarks made by the Marxist veteran allegedly questioning the competence of the state fisheries minister. The row occurred after the Speaker denied permission for an adjournment motion moved by the LDF alleging non-distribution of appropriate financial assistance to fishermen during the ongoing 52-day trawling ban in the state. In his walkout speech, Vijayan said state Forest Minister Shibu Baby John's intervention, while Fisheries Minister V E Abdul Gafoor was responding to the adjournment motion, was intended to convey that the fisheries minister was "not competent" to answer the queries. When Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan pointed out that as a senior politician and Opposition Leader, Vijayan ought not to have made such a remark, the Marxist veteran said he was not questioning Gafoor's competence.
He contended that John had intervened in a manner suggesting the Fisheries Minister was not competent, and that this was not correct. "I did not insult anyone. I am not saying that he (Gafoor) is incompetent," he said.
Responding to the remark, Satheesan said that when the LDF was in power, during several adjournment motions, while some ministers were speaking, then Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh and Law Minister P Rajeev had intervened and spoken. "There are records of that in this House. Here, when Saji Cherian moved the motion, John asked whether he would concede the floor to him, but he did not. So, when the Fisheries Minister was speaking, John intervened to point out a different, old matter. "The fisheries minister gave his reply to the adjournment motion in a clear and competent manner. Therefore, a person of your stature (Vijayan) should not have made remarks that defame the minister. I expect you to withdraw your comments, failing which they should be removed from House records by the Speaker," he said.
Replying to Satheesan's contentions, the Opposition Leader said the CM was "trying to mislead" the House. He clarified that if the then Parliamentary Affairs or Law Ministers had intervened, they did so only after the concerned minister had concluded their remarks. Subsequently, after the opposition staged a walkout, John explained that he had intervened only to point out that a rural employment guarantee scheme initiated by the Oommen Chandy government was stopped by the Left government.