Earlier, the Speaker barred the Opposition from issuing a notice on the matter and denied Satheesan permission to hold a walkout speech citing that the denial came from the chair and not from the government.

Satheesan was instead told to make a statement that the UDF members were staging a walkout.

The Leader of the Opposition also accused the CM and Culture Minister Saji Cheriyan of misleading the assembly by claiming that Justice Hema had asked not to release the report. He said Justice Hema had only cautioned the government to uphold the guidelines of the Supreme Court to protect its confidentiality while handing over the report, but the CM and the minister said she had asked not to release the report.

“For four-and-a-half years, the government sat on the report which said a series of sexual offences were committed. As per the Pocso Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, that’s a crime. The CM and the ministers have committed a criminal offence,” he added.

Satheesan also questioned the government’s integrity in holding a probe on the Hema Committee report and said many of the victims were not ready to give their statements as they don’t trust the government.

“If the government had categorically said that it’s with the victims, then women would’ve rushed to give their statements,” he added.