THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A dharna staged by LDF councillors in front of the mayor’s office in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation on Thursday, against the manner in which BJP councillors had taken oath the day before, turned violent, leaving 17 councillors from both LDF and BJP, including the mayor, injured.
LDF councillors had launched a blockade in front of the mayor’s office at 10am to protest against the manner in which a fresh oath-taking ceremony of 19 BJP councillors including Deputy Mayor Asha Nath was held on Wednesday following a Kerala High Court ruling that invalidated their initial swearing-in.
Violent scenes erupted following the arrival of Mayor V V Rajesh when he as well as the deputy mayor attempted to push through the protestors to enter their offices.
As many as 17 councillors, eight from LDF and nine from BJP side were injured in the scuffle. The mayor said he suffered dislocation in his left leg and had to take treatment at the Medical College Hospital.
LDF councillor Sindhu Sasi of Kattaikonam ward sustained a head injury and required four stitches at the Medical College Hospital. Two LDF women councillors Sindhu S S of Medical College ward and R Veenakumari of Anamugham ward sustained a leg fracture.
The violent clash triggered a war of words between the ruling LDF and the BJP, with both sides accusing the other of orchestrating the confrontation. LDF parliamentary party leader S P Deepak alleged that the attack on protesting councillors was a pre-planned operation intended to disrupt a peaceful demonstration against the way fresh oath-taking ceremony was held.
“The High Court verdict had caused political embarrassment to the BJP leadership in the corporation. By creating this violence they are trying to divert attention from that issue.
This is an intentional move to call off the council meeting to be held on May 29 to discuss the removal of KAAPA accused councillor Sugathan. They are trying to protect him,” he alleged. The CPM leader said legal action against the fresh-oath taking process will be moved on Monday.
“The fresh oath-taking was conducted without Election Commission representatives. The court had directed that the flaws be rectified through a fair process. Instead of conducting it during a council meeting, it was done secretly. We have already submitted a complaint to the Principal Secretary of the Local Self Government Department,” he said.
However, the BJP alleged that the LDF councillors attempted to obstruct the mayor from carrying out official duties and claimed that the confrontation was pre-planned for publicity. “We did not stop them from holding a protest.
They have every democratic right to stage a protest. Any political party can do that. But we will not allow them to obstruct us. That is our stand, and we will not permit such obstruction in the future either. The mayor is the head of the city. When he comes to perform his duties, preventing him from doing so is unacceptable,” said M R Gopakumar.
He confirmed that the council meeting will be held as scheduled. The UDF at the city corporation alleged that the BJP and the LDF are jointly misleading the people by unleashing violence in the name of Sugathan’s resignation and demanded to convene a council meeting without delay.