Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday accused the CPM of unleashing violence across the state following their recent election defeat. He claimed the party used hired goons to target Youth Congress leaders. Satheesan warned, "Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their own hands" amid rising unrest.
Both Congress and CPM accuse each other of resorting to violence to appease BJP-Sangh Parivar
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday accused the CPM and its affiliated organisations of unleashing violence in the state, unable to accept the massive defeat in the recent assembly elections.
Satheesan alleged that CPM and DYFI workers repeatedly targeted Sports Minister and Youth Congress state president O J Jeneesh during his visit to Payyannur and Taliparamba in Kannur district on Thursday. He claimed the CPM was creating unrest in the state to escape the crisis it faced after its dismal election performance, accusing the Marxist party of functioning like a criminal mafia by using hired goons and gangs to incite violence. On Wednesday night, the state capital Thiruvananthapuram witnessed widespread clashes between DYFI-SFI and Youth Congress members at multiple locations, including the University College hostel.
The Youth Congress claimed that SFI activists threw stones at their march demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. In response, the SFI accused the Youth Congress and KSU of throwing flaming torches into the hostel campus. The Chief Minister warned that street violence would be dealt with firmly, stating, "Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their own hands." Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that Congress front organizations were attacking Left student and youth activists to appease the BJP-Sangh Parivar, accusing Congress of trying to divert attention from the UDF government's failures.
He said Chief Minister and the UDF government are not willing to speak against the Centre and the Sangh Parivar. Acting on the Chief Minister's instructions, a Facebook post showing Youth Congress workers staging a black flag protest against Amit Shah in Kollam recently, shared by Janeesh, the Youth Congress state president, was withdrawn. The Chief Minister, however, has denied the allegation.
The state has been experiencing violence involving Youth Congress-KSU, DYFI-SFI, Yuva Morcha, and BJP workers over the past three days. On Wednesday, stones were allegedly hurled at the DCC office by BJP workers. In retaliation, beer bottles were allegedly thrown at the BJP state headquarters by Congress workers.
In a separate incident, local self-government minister K. M. Shaji's vehicle was blocked by BJP workers in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday night. When the minister stepped out of his official car and got into an autorickshaw, the agitators blocked the three-wheeler too. In the end, the minister had to walk down the road. The police have registered a case against the BJP workers involved in the incident.