Sudhakaran booked for ‘provocative’ remarks against Pinarayi
KOCHI: The Police have registered a case against Congress state president K Sudhakaran for allegedly making provocative remarks against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The case has been registered at the Palarivattom police station under IPC section 153, which deals with wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot. The complaint was lodged by Vinu Vincent, the treasurer of the DYFI Palarivattom unit, a police officer said.
According to the FIR registered on Wednesday, Sudhakaran was present at the UDF election committee office in Palarivattom on May 16 in connection with the Thrikkakara assembly byelection. Around 7.30pm, he gave an interview -- telecast on YouTube -- to a digital media named Behindwoods Ink.
“In the interview, Sudhakaran made statements which were intended to instigate the public for rioting and to defame the chief minister. After his statement was circulated via the YouTube channel, the public and the CPM workers were provoked,” the FIR stated. The FIR will be submitted at the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, which is handling cases against political leaders.
Sudhakaran had justified the comments as colloquial usage common in northern Kerala. .Meanwhile, the Congress state unit on Thursday claimed that the case was taken against its president due to the LDF’s fear of failure in the Thrikkakara byelection. Congress state general secretary U Radhakrishnan said statewide protest marches will be carried out against the police action. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the case has been registered as the voters have rejected the Left propaganda in connection with the Thrikkakara bypoll.