THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dramatic scenes unfolded in front of the Assembly on Friday night after the 45-minute video footage of scuffle inside the Assembly was examined in a closed-door meeting in the Speaker’s chamber to bring out the truth regarding the alleged manhandling of the woman Watch and Ward staff Rajani Kumari by CPM legislators T V Rajesh and James Mathew. Speaking to mediapersons after holding separate meetings on the issue, leaders of the ruling front and Opposition stuck to their stand while Deputy Speaker N Shakthan said that the visuals clearly shows that T V Rajesh and James Mathew rushing towards the Speaker’s podium pushing the Watch and Ward staff. “It is evident from the visual that the woman Watch and Ward was attacked in the scuffle but it is not sure whether it was done purposefully. May be the MLAs could not have identified that it was woman Watch and Ward staff due to the same dress code that of the male colleague,” he said. Shakthan also said that the allegation levelled by K K Lathika that she was manhandled by the Watch and Ward staff was false. “In the video footage she is seen standing away from the scuffle and no Watch and Ward staff had beaten her as she had claimed,” he said. While James Mathew put up a brave face after the examination offering to quit as MLA if the charges against him are proved right, his colleague T V Rajesh virtually broke down while trying to speak to the media. Rajesh was unable to hold back his tears when he tried to explain his innocence and was consoled by party colleague and was taken away from the mediapersons. James Mathew said that there was no evidence in the video footage to prove the allegation that he and Rajesh had manhandled the woman Watch and Ward staff. “The ruling front MLAs, Minister K C Joseph and Chief Whip P C George are spreading baseless allegations against us. If they are able to prove the charges then I am ready to quit my MLA post and face any action. But if they are not then those who levelled all these false and heinous allegations should resign from their respective posts,” said James Mathew.P C George said that he and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had urged the Speaker to allow mediapersons to examine the video footage but the Opposition was not willing to heed to the request. “I have repeatedly requested to allow the mediapersons and public to see the video footage and I am still have the same opinion. But the Opposition is against it,” he said. George said that the video footage shows T V Rajesh and James Mathew rushing to the podium of Speaker after James Mathew had mentioned something to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.“The woman Watch and Ward staff was in the middle of the scuffle and she was seen bending down to escape the attack. She was also seen weeping after the incident once she managed to get herself out of the scuffle. She even lost her cap in the incident. Meanwhile, K K Lathika is no where near the scuffle and her claims turns out to be false,” said George.When Opposition deputy leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan declined to comment after examining the video footage, CPI leader C Divakaran said that the Opposition did not request the Speaker to keep media away from examining the footage. Meanwhile, it has been decided to conduct a meeting on the issue once the Assembly resumes session on Monday at 8:30 a.m.
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