Friday, February 18, 2011

Opposition walkout over harrassment of law student

Thiruvananthapuram : The entire Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) members today staged a walkout in the assembly after Speaker K Radhakarishnan refused to allow discussion on an adjournment motion on the attack on a girl student at the law college here by activists of the pro-CPI(M) student organisation.

Raising the issue in the House, P C Vishnunath (Cong) said the girl was pushed out of her scooter, dragged and kicked by three student activists at the PMG junction here on January 24 last.

The police registered a case on the incident only on February 16 as the culprits belonged to the ruling party's student organisation, he said.

The girl, a third year student of the law college, had complained that ever since she stopped working in the organisation after her first year in the college, the accused had been harrassing and threatening her.

Vishnunath alleged that one of the students who harrassed her in the college was the son of a minister. The girl had also complained to the Women's Commission about the harrassment she faced in college, he said.

Admitting that there had been lapse on the part of the police who did not register a case immediately, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said action would be taken against those responsible for the delay.

No government could bear such incidents, he said, adding that a case had been registered against three students whose names were mentioned in the girl's complaint.

Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy said it was shameful that such an incident happened right under the nose of the Home Minister. The accused in the case were treated like VIPs in the police station and the girl was asked by the police to reach a compromise with the accused, he charged.

The police took a case on the incident only after 24 days. Law should take its own course and not a `political'
course,' he said and led the Opposition members out of the House.

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