Protests continue, 10 more held for RaGa office attack

CPM directs SFI leadership to take action against those behind attack
A UDF activist falls on the road as the police resort to caning during a protest march held in Kottayam. (Photo | Vishnu Prathap)
A UDF activist falls on the road as the police resort to caning during a protest march held in Kottayam. (Photo | Vishnu Prathap)

KALPETTA/T’PURAM: A day after the attack on the office of Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi in Kalpetta, the Congress kept the pressure up by staging protests in various parts of the state despite the CPM acting tough on those behind the incident.

The government stepped up its actions by arresting 10 more SFI activists involved in the attack and sacking a former student leader, who was part of the gang, from the personal staff of Health Minister Veena George. ADGP Manoj Abraham began preliminary inquiry into the incident, including the alleged lapses on part of the Kalpetta police in providing security to the Wayanad MP’s office.

The CPM leadership that condemned the attack in strong terms summoned SFI state leaders to party headquarters on Saturday and directed them to initiate strong action against all those responsible for the untoward incident on Friday. Wayanad district committee of SFI will meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue and finalise disciplinary action.

However, these steps failed to impress Congress leaders who continued their tirade against the CPM and chief minister while their party workers staged protests in different parts of the state. In Kalpetta, Congress workers took out a massive rally protesting the office attack. The activists reportedly threw stones at the office of CPM mouthpiece Deshabhimani. Opposition leader V D Satheesan, Congress state president K Sudhakaran and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal visited Rahul Gandhi’s office in Kalpetta on the day.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Kottayam town for the second consecutive day as a march taken out by the UDF activists to the collectorate in protest against the DYFI attack on Youth Congress’ protest march on Friday turned violent on Saturday. At least 10 persons, including Kottayam DySP J Santhosh Kumar, were injured in the clash between police and protesters.

Cong has capability to retaliate, warns Sudhakaran; 10 more SFI activists held

“The Congress’ attempt is to trigger a spate of violence in the state. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CM Pinarayi Vijayan have condemned the attack on Rahul Gandhi’s office and police have initiated stern action. Yet, the UDF is continuing violent protests across the state,” said LDF convener E P Jayarajan. The police on Saturday arrested 10 more SFI activists from Kalpetta, including one woman, in addition to 19 protesters held on Friday. SFI Wayanad district president Joel Joseph and district secretary Jishnu were among the workers who have been remanded. One of the assailants, SFI former district leader K R Avishith was sacked with retrospective effect from the personal staff of the health minister.

Foreseeing violent protests, around 500 police personnel from Kasaragod, Kozhikode and Kannur districts were deployed in Kalpetta.Tension prevailed in Kalpetta as Congress workers stopped the police officers who came to guard Satheesan during his press conference at Wayanad DCC office. The Opposition leader had a heated argument with a journalist who asked about the fact behind the destruction of image of Mahatma Gandhi at Rahul Gandhi’s office.

Speaking after the massive rally in Kalpetta, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that CM Pinarayi Vijayan has resumed from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stopped. Congress state president Sudhakaran warned that the Congress has the capability to retaliate and not a single CPM man would roam around freely if Congress stepped up resistance.

CONG SAYS NO TO ADDITIONAL SECURITY FOR PARTY HQ
T’Puram:
Congress leadership turned down the additional police security offered by the government to the KPCC headquarters at Vellayambalam. On Saturday, UDF convener M M Hassan directed a group of police personnel who reached the Indira Bhavan with orders from the city police commissioner for providing additional security to the office to go out of the office premises.

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