UDF launches counter attack against Opposition

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stung by the continuing political onslaught of the Opposition, the UDF on Tuesday launched a frontal attack to counter it, with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy taking the lead in explaining the issues to the pubic and reminding the Opposition that the government was not going to be cowed down by ‘threats or misinformation campaign.’Inaugurating a public meeting at the Gandhi Park here, organised as part of the UDF strategy to expose the line of the Opposition parties, Oommen Chandy said that the LDF was keen only to create controversies one after the other and divert attention from issues of concern to the people, including development.  He said that the UDF was not approving the act of Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan in  the Assembly the other day, which exceeded all limits. “The UDF is not justifying his action. Mohanan might have acted on the spur of a moment,’’ he said in the presence of  Mohanan.  The Chief Minister said the proceedings of the Assembly are not something which should be conducted with cops standing guard and the people should know what is actually happening in the House.“The entire proceedings should be telecast for an appraisal on the performance of the members,’’ he said.It will blunt the Opposition’s campaign, he said. At present the Opposition thinks that it can get away by speaking anything on the floor of the Assembly and unleash a smear campaign thereafter, only to remain mum when it becomes clear that the lies spread have come under public glare, Chandy said.“Earlier, it was the voting issue which was made a tool by the Opposition to attack the government. A campaign was unleashed that there was some foul play in the voting, highlighting that the government had only a slender majority and hence it would try all means to cling to power. But it crashed like anything when the video clippings was played,’’ Chandy said. Addressing the meet, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala criticised the media for  “not exposing’’ the Opposition for spreading blatant lies such as the Assembly Watch and Ward attacked CPM members with their walkie-talkies, when the gadget is not allowed inside the House.“The woman Watch and Ward staff were assaulted and attacked. The issue was settled after protracted discussions between the Speaker and the leaders of the parties. It is quite unheard that the MLAs continuing with their protest even after reaching an understanding on an issue. The Speaker was forced to suspend the two MLAs,’’ he said.Opposition to Continue ProtestOpposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said that the Opposition would continue its protest in the coming days if strong action was not taken against Assistant Commissioner Radhakrishna Pillai, responsible for the Kozhikode police firing. He also demanded the suspension of Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan for inappropriate behaviour inside the Assembly. In the video footage released on Monday, the Agriculture Minister was found lifting his right leg up to the table, as if to jump over to the side of the Opposition members, who were provoking him from the well of the House.