Kerala This Week: All Women Panel of Chairpersons in Assembly, Governor Continues Travel Despite Guidelines

The ongoing session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly (KLA)  has made history by nominating an all-women chairperson panel to oversee the proceedings. During the week, the University (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was tabled in the house, seeking to replace the Governor as Chancellor. 

Reports have emerged on the Governor travelling out of the state for more than 220 days in two years and spending huge sums of money on travel, violating the regulations in place. 

The fisherfolk led by the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram withdrew from the protest against the construction of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VSIL) after talks with the government.

Aparna Gowri, Wayanad district joint secretary of the Students Federation of India (SFI) was brutally assaulted on the campus allegedly with the support of a drug mafioso by the members of the Kerala Students Union (KSF) and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF). 

In another first in the country, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government will open a cooperative export centre in Kochi to market the unique products of the state. NewsClick brings a roundup of the happenings in Kerala during the week.

ALL WOMAN PANEL IN ASSEMBLY

For the first time in the history of the KLA, the speaker announced an all-woman panel of chairpersons. U Prathiba, of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], C K Asha of the Communist Party of India (CPI) representing the LDF and KK Rema of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) from the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) have been nominated to head the proceedings in the absence of the speaker and deputy speaker. 

The new speaker A N Shamseer recommended the names of the three MLAs to the panel. Of the 515 panel chairpersons nominated in the history of the KLA, only 32 women have made it to the list. 

GOVERNOR STAYING OUTSIDE KERALA FOR LONG

The governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan has travelled and stayed outside the state for long durations. He has reportedly violated the guidelines on the number of days to be spent in the state and exceeded permissible travelling expenses. 

In 2022, the governor was out of state for 143 days, while in the months of November he was out of state for 20 days. For the year, the travel expenses of the Governor have been pegged at Rs 11.63 lakhs. The Governor, since assuming office has spent around Rs 46 lakhs for travel, excluding Rs 1 crore towards the expense of accompanying officials.

In 2021 and 2022, the governor spent 223 days out of the state, violating the guidelines of the President’s office. The governors are not permitted to travel outside the state for five consecutive days.

VIZHINJAM PROTEST CALLED OFF

After a prolonged standoff between the government and the fisherfolk led by the Latin Archdiocese, the protest against the VISL has been called off temporarily. The protest extended for 130 days and ended on December 6, amid several rounds of talks held by the ministers and officials.

The archdiocese announced that despite its dissatisfaction over the approach of the government, the protest has been suspended. The construction works restarted after the impasse was broken after the talks between the protestors and the government. 

The LDF government accepted the demands on paying rent for dislocated people and a one-time subsidy for kerosene. The cases filed during the violent incidents in the protest site still stand. 

The government during the discussion on an adjournment motion by Congress rejected the demand of halting the construction works. 

SFI LEADER ASSAULTED

Aparna Gowri, an SFI leader was brutally attacked in the Government Polytechnic, Meppady campus. Around 30 men were suspected to be members of the local drug mafia aided by the KSU and MSF members. She was leading the awareness program against drug menace.

Four students, including KSU members, have been remanded for the attack, in which a police officer was also injured. 

The SFI central executive committee condemned the brutal attack. V P Sanu, the state president of the SFI accused Kerala’s mainstream media of neglecting the murderous attack on a woman leader. 

FIRST COOPERATIVE EXPORT CENTRE IN KOCHI

The LDF government, in an attempt to market the unique products of the state, has decided to open a cooperative export centre in Kochi. The announcement is expected to be made in the upcoming budget session of the state.

The centre will be directly controlled by the department of cooperatives. The idea was mooted following the difficulties in finding suitable private exporters to sell the products. 

The department has planned to open Cooperative marts in all local bodies, with the aim of collecting and exporting goods to other states and countries. 

PROTEST IN K R NARAYANAN INSTITUTE OF VISUAL SCIENCE

The student council of the K R Narayanan Institute of Visual Science and Arts held a protest alleging caste discrimination from the Director of the institute. The minister of higher education Dr R Bindu held talks, but the council demanded the resignation of the director. 

The students alleged that both the students and faculty members were subject to caste discrimination.

NIGHT CURFEW IN HOSTELS REGULATED

The government has withdrawn the restrictions imposed on the students of the ladies' hostel in government medical colleges with immediate effect. A new order issued has stated that the students would be permitted to enter the hostel beyond 9.30 pm, with an entry in the movement register. However, the relaxation is not applicable to first-year students.