Rajagopal stages walkout from assembly over Malappuram blast

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The lone MLA of BJP O Rajagopal, Wednesday staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest against disallowing an adjournment motion seeking discussion on yesterday's bomb blast in Malappuram Civil station allegedly by Base Movement, the Indian version of Al Qaeda. The BJP MLA alleged that both the Congress-led UDF and the CPM-led LDF were having soft stand on terrorist attacks as similar several attacks had already been reported in other places including Kollam. Replying to a notice by IUML MLA P Ubaidulla (Malappuram) who sought the leave of the House to move the adjournment motion in this regard, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said a police team led by ACP Georgekutty will probe the blast case.

The chief minister, who sought the support of the people for the fight against terrorism, said politicization of the issue is against the public interest. Stating that the bomb was reportedly placed in a car parked near the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court within the Civil Station compound in Malappuram Collectorate, he said the car was partially damaged in the blast. Apart from a few batteries and wires, the police recovered a paper box, a pen drive and a printed paper ascribing the blast to the Base Movement, he added. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said similar blasts had took place in Kollam, Andhra Pradesh and Mysore in the name of Base Movement. The police official, who had investigated the Kollam blast, has been assigned the responsibility of probing the Malappuram blast. "It is a questionable matter why the Government has given the responsibility to this official, who could not make a breakthrough in Kollam blast, to probe the Malappuram blast," he added.

The Chief Minister said a detailed investigation is being carried out to ascertain all aspects of the crime. Following the reply, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan denied permission to move the adjournment motion. In protest against the government's stand, the BJP MLA, who alleged that both the LDF and the UDF are treating the issue as an ordinary crime affecting the social harmony, staged a walkout.

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