THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A late-night clash between Youth Congress and SFI-DYFI workers in the capital on Wednesday, involving stone pelting, tyre burning and a police lathicharge, marked a fresh escalation in the political violence that has gripped the state.
The clash broke out after stones were allegedly thrown from the Kerala University men’s hostel premises at a Youth Congress (YC) protest march against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. YC workers retaliated by hurling burning pieces of tyre into the hostel compound.
SFI-DYFI workers hit back, triggering a clash that forced police to resort to lathicharge inside the hostel premises. Several SFI-DYFI as well as YC workers were injured and taken to hospital. Some Youth Congress workers allegedly blocked vehicles carrying SFI workers to the hospital, escalating tensions further.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan later visited the hostel and spoke to SFI-DYFI workers, who subsequently took out a protest march alleging police high-handedness. SFI also announced a statewide strike in educational institutions on Thursday.
In a separate incident around the same time, BJP workers alleged that unidentified bike-borne miscreants hurled a beer bottle at their party headquarters near Aristo Junction. This came amid an escalation in the BJP-Congress confrontation in the capital, which has spread across the state following a YC protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Keralam.
This apart, Yuva Morcha workers blocked the official vehicle of Local Self-Government Minister K M Shaji near Vanross Junction a few hours earlier. Shaji was travelling without a pilot vehicle or escort. His attempt to leave in an autorickshaw was also allegedly blocked, forcing him to proceed on foot. The incident came minutes after the car of senior BJP leader P K Krishnadas was allegedly attacked by Congress workers at Neyyattinkara.
Announcing statewide protests, BJP state general secretary S Suresh warned that the party would retaliate if attacks on its workers continued.
The BJP-Congress confrontation had intensified following attacks on Congress offices in the capital. Stones were pelted at the Thiruvananthapuram DCC office, while the Congress mandalam committee office at Anavoor near Neyyattinkara was set on fire on Wednesday.
Police later took BJP workers Suresh Kumar and Akhil into custody in connection with separate cases relating to the attacks on Congress offices. Police have also identified two persons allegedly involved in the attack on the DCC office.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said strict legal action would be taken against those responsible. “Some people are deliberately attempting to disrupt law and order in the area. Such attempts cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Attacking party offices is not the right course of action. Keralam’s civil society will never accept such political violence. The culprits will be brought before the law, and punished.”
KPCC president Sunny Joseph alleged that the attacks on Congress offices were carried out with the knowledge and support of BJP leadership. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Ministers P C Vishnunadh, K Muraleedharan, M Liju and C P John visited the DCC office and condemned the attack. The DCC also held protests at various locations.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday after Yuva Morcha activists blocked the vehicle of Sports Minister O J Janeesh at Neyyattinkara and waved black flags. BJP Thiruvananthapuram South district president Mookkampalamoodu Biju was injured in the ensuing confrontation and hospitalised.
Sept 26 trigger
The chain of events can be traced to September 26, when YC activists waved black flags at Shah’s convoy at Asramam in Kollam. The BJP alleged a serious security breach and lodged a complaint with the Centre and the state police chief. However, police said the convoy was not obstructed and that the protesters were removed before it arrived.