THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as protests mount against the alleged ban on black clothes and black masks at events attended by him, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has made it clear that the government has not imposed any such ban. His clarification comes in the wake of widespread protests against the police which demanded the public avoid black clothes and masks at some functions attended by the CM recently.
The direction of the police is in the wake of the massive protests by opposition parties demanding the Chief Minister's resignation after the gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh raised allegations against him. The protestors had waved black flags at the CM in several places.
In a video message on Monday, the Chief Minister had said that a false campaign was on claiming that black clothes or masks cannot be worn in Kerala. He categorically stated that people had the right to wear clothes of the colour of their choice.
"This land had witnessed huge protests for the right to wear clothes of one's choice. We earned that right through struggles. There were times when people did not have the right to wear a dhoti extending below the knees," he said.
Meanwhile, in Kannur, youth wings of opposition parties continued their protest against Vijayan. They waved black flags and raised slogans where CM had inaugurated two functions and also at Taliparamba.
As CPM workers too had joined the police to control the agitating youth workers of opposition, things have turned a bit tense for some time at both venues.
Though the police force was deployed at all cut roads to prevent the entry of protesters into the main road, the protesters have managed to wave black flags at many places as the CM's convoy passed through.
CM’s first programme was at KILA Campus, at Karimbam, near Taliparamba, where he inaugurated the International Leadership Study Centre. The protesters who had succeeded to beat the security cover at places, waved the black flag at the CM.
As CM started from the Guest house towards Taliparamba for the first programme on Monday, KSU district general secretary Farhan Munderi waved black flag at him. CPM workers , who were on the road ran towards Farhan and beat him up as the police tried to take him into custody. Yuvamorcha activists too had waved the black flag at CM at Talap.
Youth Congress and Muslim Youth league workers had marched towards KILA, wearing black shirts and masks. The police had blocked the marching agitators around 150 m away from the stage where the inaugural ceremony was to be held. As the workers tried to surpass the barricades put by the police, a scuffle ensued. The police had lathi-charged the workers to disperse them and had removed them by arresting them and 12 protesters were injured in the combined assault of police and workers. Around 20 workers were arrested.
The CM had inaugurated the state level get together of activists of Grandhasala Sangham through online. The police was backed by CPM workers in their attempt to control the protesters. Tight security arrangements were provided at the Guest House and nearby areas, so that, the protesters would not be able to get near to Pinarayi.
Youth congress workers had taken out a protest march on Monday morning towards Guest House by waving black flags. As the workers tried to climb over the barricades, the police had used water cannon . Soon, the youth congress workers were arrested by the police.