THIRUVANATHAPURAM : The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a ‘factual report’ from the state government on the alleged police action on protesters, including seven MPs, during a Congress march to the state police chief’s office on December 23.
The MHA’s action was in the wake of a request from the Lok Sabha secretariat’s privileges and ethics branch. MP K Muraleedharan, who was part of the protest, had approached the panel with a complaint. On the basis of the complaint, the Lok Sabha secretariat requested MHA to obtain a factual report to be placed before Speaker Om Birla.
In his complaint to the Lok Sabha speaker, Muraleedharan said the police used tear gas shells and water cannons on the protesters. He said the tear gas shell burst just behind the stage where seven MPs, including him and six MLAs, including the leader of Opposition, were present.
The MP said the MPs and MLAs complained of suffocation and were hospitalised. The ‘premeditated act’ was carried out with the intention of ‘harming’ people’s representatives, Muraleedharan said and called for a thorough investigation into the episode and action against the state police chief.
The Congress demonstration on December 23 was against the alleged police excesses against its workers during the course of the Nava Kerala Sadas. MPs K Sudhakaran and Shashi Tharoor were among those who complained of uneasiness following the police action.