The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) walked out of the Assembly on Tuesday after Speaker M.B. Rajesh denied the Opposition leave to introduce an adjournment motion seeking an immediate debate on the "new facts" that had arguably warranted a re-investigation into the high-profile double murder of two Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists at Venjaranmoodu in 2020.
Mr. Rajesh ruled the Opposition’s plea was tantamount to sub judice. The police had chargesheeted the case, and the court had posted it for trial. “A legislative debate on a matter under the consideration of the judiciary was not appropriate. Moreover, the matter lacked urgency,” he said.
His ruling prompted UDF legislators to troop into the well of the House and sloganeer against the government. They demanded the Speaker allow the motion and stop conducting the affairs of the House in a politically partisan manner.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said a recent and damning disclosure by a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader had decisively altered the trajectory of the sensational crime. Mr. Satheesan appeared to hint that a fratricidal feud in the local CPI(M) had resulted in the wayside killings. Nevertheless, the police had arraigned several Congress workers as accused.
Mr. Satheesan demanded the government order a re-investigation into the crime under Section 173 (8) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), given the severe nature of the CPI(M) functionary's disclosure. Or else, he demanded the government order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.
An armed gang had waylaid Mithilaj, 30, and Haque Muhammad, 24, both DYFI workers, near Venjaranmoodu on the night of August 30. Subsequently, the local police had booked Congress workers for the murder.
Mr. Satheesan said the police probe was shoddy and, at worst, a cover-up. “It is a case concerning the CPI(M). Two of your workers were killed. We are demanding justice for them. CPI(M) had attacked 168 Congress offices after the murder to foist the blame on the party. A re-investigation will tear the cloak of the real conspirators,” he said.
General Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the UDF’s adjournment motion to demonise the K-Rail semi high-speed railway bombed in the House on Monday. “The Congress has raised a non-issue with no urgent import on Tuesday in a vain and pathetic attempt to save face,” he said.
Mr. Satheesan retorted that Mr. Sivankutty was a paragon of exemplary parliamentary behaviour. He seemed to take an oblique dig at the General Education Minister, who was fighting a case relating to unruly behaviour and destruction of public property in the House during the previous Oommen Chandy government.
