News and Views

Thiruvananthapuram: The Opposition staged a walk out in the Assembly on Thursday in protest against the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau not registering case against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and others over irregularities in award of contract for pollution control plant in the Travancore Titanium produces here.

The Opposition disrupted the proceedings of Kerala Assembly for the third day on Thursday.

The Opposition moved into the well of the House following verbal duel with the ruling front members on the kind of language used by Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan against Congress leader K. Muraleedharan and others.  Mr. Muraleedharan had criticised Mr. Achuthandan yesterday for using unparliamentarily language against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday decided to reduce fares of KSRTC ordinary bus services by Rs. 1 per trip in view of fall in diesel prices.

Accordingly, the minimum fare will come down from Rs. 7 to Rs. 6. Rates for other fare stages will also drop by Rs. 1. The lowering of fares will not apply to fast passenger and other premium services.

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor said here on Wednesday that he supported entry of women into Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

“I support the constitution: end discrimination, whether on grounds of caste, creed, sexual orientation, age or gender,” he said.

Congress leaders in the State has taken an opposite stand.

Speaking at the Congress Executive meeting here on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi urged Congress leaders to stay together. “CPI (M) cannot defeat Congress party in Kerala, (but) the Congress can defeat Congress in Kerala.”