Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 25 (IANS): The Congress-led Opposition on Tuesday slammed the Speaker of Kerala Assembly, AN Shamseer, for protecting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from answering questions on plans for remission to killers of TP Chandrasekharan and adjourning the House quickly.

It all began when the Speaker turned down first-time legislator, KK Rema’s notice for an emergency debate over media reports that names of three CPI(M) workers, serving a double life sentence in the 2012 murder of her husband TP Chandrasekharan, were allegedly in the list of prisoners who could be granted remission.

Soon after Question Hour, the Speaker said this issue cannot be raised.

When Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan pointed out that this was not fair and against the rules and procedures of the House, the Speaker interrupted his speech.

He said that it was clear through reports that no such attempt was made by the government and hence the issue could not be raised.

To this, Satheesan pointed out, “Speaker, why are you replying. We are seeking a reply from the Chief Minister. You are trying to defend the CM and this is unfair.”

Soon the entire Opposition rose in protest and the Speaker then went through the listed business of the day in a flash and adjourned the House for the day.

Last week a list of 59 prisoners sent by the Kannur Jail Superintendent to the Kannur Police Commissioner included the names of three people convicted in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case, surfaced in the media.

The three convicts are TK Rejeesh, Mohammed Shafi and Annan Sreejith.

Later, speaking to the media Satheesan alleged, “Vijayan and the CPI(M) are being blackmailed by the accused in jail who are threatening to reveal the conspiracy behind the TP Chandrasekharan case.

“If that happens, then many of them will be in jail. The work to grant remission to the accused in the case started a few years back when Vijayan’s department tweaked the jail rules. They tried to grant remission using those rules.”

He added, “If the Vijayan government tries to go forward with this, Kerala will witness the biggest protest ever seen.”

TP Chandrasekharan’s widow Rema said that in February, the Kerala High Court had made it clear that the killers of her husband were not eligible for any remission before 20 years.

“We will be meeting the state Governor on this ploy of the Vijayan government,” said Rema.

TP Chandrasekharan, 51, who launched the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), was hacked to death on May 4, 2012 when he was returning home on his motorcycle to his hometown near Kozhikode.

In the case, a court sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment, of which three were middle-level CPI(M) leaders.

TP Chandrasekharan was a popular CPI(M) leader in Kozhikode District but left the party in 2008 and formed his outfit RMP.

In the 2021 Assembly polls, Rema, with the support of the Congress-led UDF won a stellar victory from the Vadakara Assembly constituency, despite the CPI(M) trying their best to keep her at bay.