Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala assembly witnessed an uproar by the opposition over a remark by chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who apparently made a mistake by blaming late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi for excesses during the emergency in the 1970s.
The development came even as the ruling and opposition members were hotly debating the issue of the recent court ruling to ban roadside meetings that disrupt public life.
Leaders of the ruling Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) have been openly criticising the court's directive, and Congress member V.D. Satheesan wanted the house to discuss outbursts against judges.
Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said the CPM leadership ought to rein in the leaders of the party who were openly insulting judges. Responding to Chandy's statement, Achuthanandan got up to remind the opposition not to forget how the Congress had declared an Emergency to bypass the Allahabad court's verdict, and the attack of former Supreme Court judge V.R. Krishna Iyer by "Rajiv Gandhi's" goondas (strongmen).
Offended by the remark, the opposition rushed to the well of the House and demanded an apology from the chief minister.
