KOLLAM: The 132nd foundation day celebrations of the Congress in Kerala was marred by infightings which spilled over to the streets.
A group of party workers blocked the car in which former KPCC spokesman Rajmohan Unnithan was travelling in and threw eggs and stones at him in front of Kollam District Congress Committee (DCC)office. It is said the attack was triggered by the slugfest within the party, following a statement issued by senior leader K Muraleedharan MLA.
Reacting to the incident, Unnithan said that he will file a complaint with the Kollam East Police and the KPCC. “K Muraleedharan is the person behind this attack. Congress party must seriously think about Muraleedharan continuing in the party,” Unnithan said.
According to sources, a group of Congress workers blocked Unnithan’s car, when he arrived in front of the DCC office at around 11.45 am. Tense situation prevailed in the area as the protesters tried to close the gates of the office, raising slogans against Unnithan. As the driver tried to turn away, a stone landed on the front windshield, shattered it. Senior leaders rushed to the spot to rescue Unnithan and were seen pacifying the protesters.
Talking to media persons after attending the foundation day celebrations, Unnithan said the incident demonstrated Muraleedharan’s intolerance. Claiming that the attack was a near replay of the incident that occurred in front of Priyadarshini Planetarium in 2004, where he and T Saratchandra Prasad were manhandled and stripped off their dhotis, Unnithan said that he will file a complaint with the party leadership in this regard.
Unnithan said that he will file a complaint with Kollam East Police raise the issue with the Kollam DCC president and the KPCC.
Hours after the attack, DCC president Bindu Krishna suspended six persons who were said to be part of the group which blocked the car of Unnithan and hurled eggs on him.
The suspended persons are M S Ajith Kumar, Binu Mangalath, S P Atul, R.S. Baby, Sankaranarayanan, and Vishnu Vijayan. The DCC president said that a committee has also been formed to conduct further enquiry into the incident. The report of the committee will be submitted to the KPCC.
Muraleedharan is known for his intolerance. Whenever there were criticism, he used to arrange goons to attack the critics. He had sent goons to attack me and Saratchandra Prasad in 2004. Later T H Mustafa and M P Gangadharan were targeted. I believe attack was aimed at eliminating me. I have the ability to retaliate in the same coin. But that’s not the culture of Congress
Rajmohan Unnithan
We’ve many appropriate fora within the party where issues and criticism can be raised. My advice (to both leaders) is to not to air differences outside the party. That is not how we function in the Congress. I appeal to everyone to use the party fora to voice their criticism --not outside
Mukul Wasnik, AICC state in-charge