KOCHI: A Youth Congress (YC) worker was arrested by Kochi City police after he staged a surprise protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi near the Sacred Heart College, Thevara, which was the venue of Yuvam 2023 conclave.
Ernakulam YC secretary PH Aneesh, raised the ‘Go back, Modi’ slogan as he moved towards the main entrance of the college a few hours before PM Modi arrived in Kochi.
He was immediately intercepted by the police personnel deployed there. However, minor tension prevailed in the area for some time after a few workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party allegedly tried to manhandle Aneesh before the police shifted him to their van.
Meanwhile, around seven Congress leaders were taken into preventive custody by Kochi City police on Monday morning ahead of the Prime Minister's visit based on the report that there will be protests.
The detained leaders were KPCC secretary Thambi Subramaniam, DCC secretaries NR Sreekumar and Ajith Ameer Bava and YC leaders Shibin George, Jinu K Vincent, Ashkar Babu and R Basheer. While four of them were detained by Palluruthy police, three others were detained by Thoppumpady, Kannamali and Kumbalangi police. They will be released based on orders from top cops.
The Congress party alleged that the workers were taken into preventive custody while they were sleeping at their houses.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that the detention of congress leaders ahead of the PM's visit was illegal and the party will strongly protest against the police action. “The police action is a violation of fundamental rights of a citizen. Neither the Congress nor the UDF has decided to protest against the Prime Minister. Then, the detention was an unnecessary action from the police. It would be resisted at any cost,” he said.
DCC president Mohammed Shiyas, who termed the police action a violation of human rights, said that they will move legally.
