Four decades ago, Kerala assembly sparred over Lakshadweep

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala assembly which unanimously passed a resolution on Monday on

Lakshadweep issue

had once earlier witnessed an instance where the legislators sparred over the validity of the question on denial of

organisational

and individual rights in Lakshadweep. Pinarayi Vijayan, who moved the resolution on Monday, was one of the legislators who had asked the question in the assembly.


In1972, during the sixth session of the legislative assembly, CPM Beypore MLA K Chathunni master along with eight other legislators asked whether the news reports about the violation of individual and organisational rights of people in

Lakshadweep

had come to the notice of the

government

. .

K Karunakaran, who was the then home minister, replied that it concerned Lakshadweep and it did not come under the limits of the state. CBC Warrier didn’t budge and said that it was an issue people of Kerala were interested in and that the government had a commitment towards the issue and hence it was raised. Moideenkutty Haji, who was the speaker, guided the home minister to reply saying that the question was regarding the news report and if it had come to the state government’s notice, yes or no could be given as answer.

Karunakaran replied that the news report had come to the government’s notice. Haji further ruled that Lakshadweep did not come under the purview of Kerala. “The question was admitted since our people resided there and because it was asked whether the government knew about violation of organisational rights to people of Lakshadweep. There is no need for further explanation in this regard,” he had ruled.

Warrier asked whether the government had communicated regarding Lakshadweep issues to the

Centre

since the problems had come to the state government’s notice. The matter ended with Karunakaran replying that it was not possible to divulge anything then.

Political historian Cherian Philip said that Lakshadweep was ruled by the Centre and hence it was a natural reply to a question regarding the issues there. “The issue which led to that question in the assembly is not clear, it may not have been communal, it could have been some other issue. The assembly declined to deliberate on that matter then because there was no way the state government could have replied on an issue concerning an island ruled by the Centre. There is a difference between a question and a resolution since the resolution is warranted by a common cause,” said Philip.

Officials with the archives section in the assembly couldn’t recollect the issue on which the question was raised.

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