Ganesh Kumar outburst rocks Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Acting fast to contain the fallout of the damaging comments made by Forest Minister K B Ganesh Kumar against Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressed his deep regrets over the remarks in the Assembly on Friday. But an agitated Opposition demanded Ganesh Kumar’s ouster from the Assembly and the Ministry and disrupted the proceedings   forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.On Thursday, addressing a public meeting organised by the UDF at Pathanapuram, Ganesh Kumar had hurled abuses at VS calling him a sex maniac and a pervert.  Widespread protests erupted in various parts of the state against the minister on Friday.As soon as the Assembly proceedings began, the Opposition members started shouting slogans against Ganesh Kumar. Deputy Opposition Leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan raised the issue  by asking  the Chief Minister to clarify on it.  Kodiyeri said  the minister should not have used such a language against a leader as senior as Achuthanandan.Kodiyeri asked the Speaker to oust Ganesh Kumar from the House. But Speaker G Karthikeyan said that he cannot take action against the minister as the incident took place outside the House.The Chief Minister clarified that the remarks made by Ganesh Kumar did not reflect the government stand and that he was expressing his deep regrets for the statement made by the minister.The LDF, however, declined to accept the Chief Minister’s reply and kept on protesting demanding that Ganesh Kumar be dropped from the ministry.Following this, the Speaker cancelled the question hour and zero hour and wound up the proceedings of the day.