By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition has accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of body-shaming a UDF legislator over the latter’s height.

Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan has written to Speaker A. N. Shamseer seeking the removal of the Chief Minister’s “offensive remark” from Assembly records.

He also accused Mr. Vijayan of lowering the stature of the House in the public eye by allegedly infringing on parliamentary propriety and rules and procedures that govern the conduct of legislative business.

The controversial remark occurred during the Zero Hour. Chaos had erupted in the Assembly after UDF members trooped into the well of the House and mobbed the Speaker’s podium, demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) P. S. Prasanth over “official connivance” in the alleged misappropriation of religious artefacts from the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

The watch and ward had formed a human shield in front of the Speaker’s dias when an Opposition member attempted to scale the rostrum.

Without naming any individual, Mr Vijayan quoted a Malayalam adage about persons who ill-advisedly volunteer for daredevilry without recognising that they inherently lack the physical prowess to accomplish such demanding feats of strength.

He said the individual made up for his lack of physical stature by misusing legislative privilege as a shield to confront watch and ward personnel, including women.