Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran and a few other Congress leaders were among those hospitalised when the State police fired tear gas shells and discharged water cannons to disperse Congress protesters who marched to the police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on December 23.
Mr. Sudhakaran had to be evacuated from the makeshift protest stage by Congress workers after he complained of uneasiness when tear gas smoke engulfed the area. He was soon hospitalised to a private hospital along with Jeby Mather, MP, Chandy Oommen, Anwar Sadath, MLAs, and a few others.
The KPCC president termed the police action arbitrary and unjustifiable. He said the police fired tear gas shells at party leaders at the forefront of the march. “There was no provocation. I had just finished my speech when the tear gas shells landed. The smoke caused suffocation,” Mr. Sudhakaran said.
The Congress demonstration against the alleged police excesses against its workers during the course of the Navakerala Sadas outreach programme descended into chaos soon after Mr. Sudhakaran concluded his speech.
Party workers began to climb the barricades erected near the police headquarters and attempted to force their way past the security cordon. The police contingent soon adopted an aggressive stance to fire nearly 10 tear gas shells in quick succession towards the protesters. Jets of water were also sprayed on the activists, prompting them to retreat towards Manaveeyam Veedhi and Vellayambalam.
The police action, which visibly took the Congress leaders by surprise, brought an abrupt end to the protest meet. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan had to conclude his address and scramble for safety along with the others in drenched clothes.
Mr. Satheesan alleged the police action aimed at endangering the Congress leaders was done at the behest of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whom he accused of unleashing violence throughout the Navakerala Sadas programme. The State Police Chief has handed over the control of the police to the CPI (M) and has become a mute spectator without any control over the force, he added.
Accusing the police of orchestrating a premeditated attack, Shashi Tharoor, MP, alleged the police fired “high-grade” tear gas shells with the intention of harming the protesters including senior people’s representatives.
Having lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief, Dr. Tharoor said he will also take the issue up with the Privileges Committee and the Speaker in the Lok Sabha.
K. Muraleedharan, MP, warned of more “forceful” protests against the undemocratic handling of demonstrations. Former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who was also visibly unwell, alleged the police unleashed violence on a peaceful protest.
A news photographer, Vincent Pulickal, sustained head injuries in the stone pelting.
Complaint
The KPCC president submitted a formal complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging a “heinous breach of privilege” and a targeted assault on him and his fellow MPs. The attack, he claimed, was orchestrated by the Kerala Police under the explicit directives of the Chief Minister.
The police, he complained, unleashed a potent barrage of tear gas directly at the stage, endangering the lives of all present. “The intensity of the attack left me grappling with severe breathing difficulties, rendering me unconscious and necessitating my immediate hospitalisation,” he stated.
He added “the brutal act, beyond being a blatant violation of my parliamentary privilege, is deeply rooted in the longstanding animosity harboured by the Chief Minister, a vendetta dating back to our college days”.
Mr. Sudhakaran demanded the Speaker’s immediate intervention to conduct a thorough investigation “with a specific focus on the targeted attack on my life”. (EOM)
Protest
Congress has called for torch-lit demonstrations across the State in protest with the alleged attack on its senior leaders.
