Kannur (Kerala), Nov 21 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday claimed that DYFI workers had actually saved the lives of the Youth Congress activists, who allegedly tried to jump in front of his cavalcade and waved black flags, and did not assault them as has been reported.
Hitting back at the CM for his remarks, the Congress contended that Vijayan was justifying the brutal violence against KSU and Youth Congress activists by CPI(M) and DYFI workers as he allegedly has a criminal mindset.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan, talking to reporters in Paravur, also alleged Kerala has turned into a state of gangsters under Vijayan’s government as he has allowed criminals to run wild.
Earlier in the day, Vijayan, at a press briefing in Kannur, said he was sitting in the front seat of the bus on which he and his cabinet colleagues were travelling as part of the state government’s outreach programme Nava Kerala Sadas, and saw the Youth Congress activists trying to jump in front of the vehicle.
“It happened right in front of my eyes. The DYFI workers were trying to prevent them from jumping in front of the oncoming vehicle.
“They were saving the lives of the Youth Congress activists for which some force had to be necessarily used. It was not an assault. It was an admirable act on the part of the DYFI workers and my request to them is to continue the same,” the chief minister told reporters here during a press briefing.
Vijayan was responding to queries from reporters regarding the Congress allegation that members of its youth wing were brutally assaulted with helmets, sticks and stones by workers of the Democratic Youth Federation of India.
The DYFI is the youth wing of the CPI(M).
Vijayan alleged that the actions of the Youth Congress activists indicated the frustration of their parent body over the success of the outreach programme which was witnessing a huge turnout.
He further alleged the intention behind such acts was to create an environment of conflict in order to dissuade the public from participating in the programme and that there was nothing democratic about the demonstration by the Youth Congress.
“It is not a protest. It is an act of aggression,” the chief minister contended and urged the LDF supporters and workers not to be provoked by the same and to exercise restraint.
The chief minister said he would suggest that such demonstrations be stopped or withdrawn.
“However, if they intend to fight on the streets and show black flags all the way to Thiruvananthapuram, then we will see how Kerala will receive it. We are not intimidated by the same. This programme will not be hampered by such actions,” Vijayan said.
Responding to the CM’s remarks, Satheesan said that what the CPI(M) and DYFI workers did in Kannur was not political activity.
“It was hooliganism and criminalisation of politics,” he alleged.
He further alleged activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of Congress, and the Youth Congress were brutally beaten up by CPI(M) and DYFI workers as well as the police officers providing security to the CM.
“The CM is justifying this violence. He is praising the CPI(M) criminals who committed such brutal acts. He has given criminals the licence to run wild in the state. Kerala is becoming a land of gangsters,” Satheesan alleged.
He said that if protestors are not going to be allowed to wave black flags from the roadside then UDF leaders, including its MPs and MLAs, will come on to the streets and show the black flag to Vijayan.
Satheesan also said ministers and Left leaders should be ashamed of calling the protesting Youth Congress activists as suicide squads or their demonstration a terror act.
Earlier in the day, LDF convenor E P Jayarajan had allegedly termed the demonstration by the Youth Congress activists as a terror act, while state Minister for Local Self-Governments and Excise M B Rajesh called them ‘chavers’ or suicide squads.
Satheesan referred to the stone-pelting at Oommen Chandy when he was CM and asked which suicide squad carried out that act.
He alleged the Nava Kerala Sadas has turned into a programme where protestors are attacked with plant pots and helmets.
Satheesan also criticised the outreach programme by terming it as a party event and a political campaign being conducted at state expense ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
On Monday, Satheesan had that black flags would be shown to the chief minister all the way to Thiruvananthapuram if Youth Congress workers were physically targeted.
The chief minister also lashed out at the criticism from the opposition Congress that the Nava Kerala Sadas was a stage for political drama, saying that it was an insult to the thousands who participated in the programme.
He said that 9,807 complaints were received from the four Assembly constituencies here that were visited yesterday.
The sadas will continue in Kannur on Wednesday also, he said.
The chief minister also said that there would be a cabinet meeting at Thalassery here on Wednesday. PTI HMP HMP SS
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