THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government would consider granting financial assistance to the dependants of 19 KSRTC employees and pensioners who had reportedly committed suicide over the last few months due to the delay in salary and pension payments.

This was stated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the Assembly on Thursday. The Opposition sought an adjournment in the wake of the suicide of KSRTC pensioner K. Gopinatha Pillai on Wednesday allegedly due to the non-payment of pension dues.

The government said that many deaths were not suicides and that many suicides were not due to pension issues.

Replying to the adjournment notice, Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that the Chief Minister would hold a meeting on December 22 to discuss the issue.

“The KSRTC is willing to raise 50 percent for pension funds. The source for the remaining would be discussed at the meeting,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.

While he claimed that those who committed suicide had not left behind any notes about the pension dues, chief whip P.C. George said that there was no evidence that Gopinatha Pillai died due to pension problems. He also said that the KSRTC pensioners’ association had a fund of Rs 2.5 crore.

Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan alleged that the UDF government was morally responsible for the death of 19 persons. After Deputy Speaker N. Sakthan, who was chairing the House, denied permission to the adjournment motion, the Opposition staged a walkout.