Kerala Speaker Suspends Three Opposition MLAs Amid Sabarimala Gold Row
It came after a motion moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh accused the trio of violating the special privileges of the Assembly and Speaker.
Published : October 9, 2025 at 4:11 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of repeated clashes between the ruling party and opposition for three days over the Sabarimala gold amulet row, the Kerala Legislative Assembly has suspended three opposition MLAs for the remainder of the current session. Congress legislators M Vincent, Roji M John and Saneesh Kumar Joseph are those who have been suspended.
The suspension came after a motion moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh accused the trio of violating the special privileges of the Assembly and the Speaker, and of causing serious injury to the Chief Marshal. The motion was passed without opposition, as the suspended MLAs were absent during the proceedings. As a result, the three MLAs will not be able to participate in the final day of the 14th session of the 15th Assembly, scheduled for Friday.
The motion highlighted the continuous aggressive actions of the opposition, including the harassment of female staff and security personnel. Minister Rajesh noted that the Chief Marshal sustained serious injuries to his right hand during attacks by opposition members and requires surgery, as advised by doctors.
The motion further detailed repeated disruptions since the resumption of the Assembly on October 6, noting that the opposition consistently obstructed proceedings, violated Assembly decorum, and created a hostile environment. Despite a meeting convened by the Speaker to facilitate smooth proceedings, the opposition boycotted the session. Security personnel, including women, were reportedly manhandled and harassed.
Banners were displayed to obscure the Speaker's view, and the opposition shouted aggressive slogans targeting key officials and the Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan. The members also attempted to forcefully approach the Speaker's dais and attacked security staff intervening to maintain order.
Following the motion, the Speaker called Rajesh to present the government's case at 1 pm. Responding to the suspension, Roji M John said there was no intention to withdraw protests on the Sabarimala gold issue. He also alleged that government supporters in 'Watch and Ward' uniforms provoked the opposition MLAs.
Meanwhile, Vincent told ETV Bharat that the opposition's behaviour was a reaction to aggressive treatment by security personnel. Both MLAs emphasised that they were confronting perceived threats rather than the Speaker personally.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph criticised the government, claiming that the Chief Marshal's injury was part of a political conspiracy orchestrated after the session was temporarily suspended. He warned that protests would continue both inside and outside the House.
This unrest marked the fourth consecutive day of disruption over the Sabarimala gold row. Multiple adjournments were observed, and the opposition eventually boycotted proceedings after refusing to cooperate with the instructions of the Speaker.
Earlier, opposition leader VD Satheeshan demanded an apology and retraction of the CM's controversial body-shaming remark, but Vijayan was absent from the session due to a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.
Even as the Speaker urged cooperation for the smooth conduct of Assembly proceedings, the opposition walked out, with protests continuing alongside interruptions in the 'Question-and-Answer' session.
Justice KT Sankaran to Visit Sannidhanam
Meanwhile, Justice KT Sankaran will reach the Sabarimala Sannidhanam (strong rooms) on Saturday to conduct a crucial inspection as directed by the Kerala High Court. The temple's strong rooms will be opened and inspected as the high court has ordered a detailed verification comparing the items in the strong rooms with the entries in the Devaswom registry.
The High Court issued the directive after the Devaswom Vigilance found serious irregularities in the registry related to the gold plating on the Dwarapalaka (temple guardian) sculptures. To ensure transparency in the inspection, the HC has permitted Justice Sankaran to include a person he trusts who has expertise in gold work. Accordingly, a goldsmith will accompany the judge during the inspection.
All 18 strong rooms at Sabarimala are to be fully opened and inspected, and a detailed report on all valuable items, including gold, will be submitted to the Devaswom division bench of the High Court after the verification. The court has also instructed that the details of the items be properly accounted for and presented in a registry before the court.
SIT Begins Investigation
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has initiated its preliminary inquiry into the controversy surrounding the gold-plated Dwarapalaka sculptures. As part of this, the statement of the CEO of Smart Creations has been recorded. The High Court has directed the SIT to complete its investigation and submit the report within a month.
Meanwhile, the gold-plated panels of the Dwarapalaka sculptures in front of the Sabarimala Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) will be reinstalled on October 17, following approval from both the High Court and the temple's Tantri (chief priest). The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided to proceed with the reinstallation after receiving permissions. The High Court has also approved the repair works of the temple doors and arch.
The gold-plated panels were taken to Chennai on September 8 for repairs. The removal of the panels without the court's nod had triggered a major controversy. During the proceedings, the High Court observed that the weight of the panels had decreased. When the panels were sent to Chennai in 2019, they weighed 42 kilograms, but upon return, the weight was found to be four kilograms less. The court questioned how such a reduction was possible, observing, "If it were petrol, the loss in quantity could be understood. But how did gold lose weight when it was taken to Chennai and brought back?"
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