Thiruvananthapuram: A battery of senior Congress leaders in Kerala, including MPs and MLAs, suffered from suffocation, and some were even hospitalised on Saturday after police fired tear gas shells near a stage erected in front of the office of the State Police Chief, following the opposition party’s protest that turned violent.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly, V D Satheesan, KPCC chief and Parliamentarian K Sudhakaran, MPs Shashi Tharoor, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, K Muraleedharan, Jebi Mather, senior leader and MLA Ramesh Chennithala, other MLAs were on the stage when a tear gas shell blasted behind the venue.
The march was organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) alleging police atrocities against its workers during their agitation over the ‘Nava Kerala Sadas’ outreach programme of the Left government which concluded today.
Many senior leaders were seen developing uneasiness and discomfort in the unexpected usage of tear gas shells and workers could be seen running to them and shifting them to safety.
While the Congress and UDF leaders alleged that it was a “premeditated attack” targeting their life, the ruling CPI(M) and LDF justified the police action by saying that it was the opposition party activists who tried to create issues.
As soon as Sudhakaran concluded his speech, the Congress workers started climbing the barricades erected near the DGP office and attempted to force their way past the security cordon.
By the time the next speaker, Satheesan, was addressing the crowd, police resorted to using water cannons to prevent the protesters from climbing the barricades. The police then fired a tear gas shell at the agitators which fell just behind the main stage where the MPS and MLAs were present.
Satheesan suddenly concluded the speech while the Congress workers took the leaders to safety.
Sudhakaran, who showed discomfort, got himself admitted to a private hospital after he suffered suffocation due to the tear gas. He was escorted by the Congress workers to the hospital in a car belonging to a media house.
Speaking to the media from the hospital, Sudhakaran said the police attack was targeted against him and termed the atrocities against the party leaders as ‘unprecedented’.
“We were holding a peaceful protest. The goons among the police attacked without any provocation while senior leaders were present,” he claimed.
Hitting out at the police, Satheesan said such an “attack” against the leaders took place for the first time in the history of Kerala.
“The police acted upon the directions of the Chief Minister to harm the Congress leaders. The police chief has handed the reins of Kerala’s security to the ruling CPI(M). Certain people in the CMO are controlling the police force,” Satheesan alleged in a statement.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor said a tear gas shell burst just behind the stage where at least six MPs and numerous party MLAs were present.
He said it was a “premeditated” attack on the Congress party.
“We want to know upon whose instruction the party leaders were attacked. We have the right to protest in this country. The MPs and MLAs will approach the respective privilege committees against this attack on elected representatives,” he said.
Tharoor said he was one of the hundreds of victims of a completely “unjustified and wanton attack” by Kerala police using the highest-grade tear-gas and water cannons against a peaceful protest rally.
He said the rally was organised after obtaining all permissions and the tear-gas shells were fired without provocation or warning.
“But the firing of tear-gas shells against the stage, which was being occupied by a number of senior people’s representatives, MPs and MLAs, will also attract a severe case of violation of Parliamentary privileges and immunities,” he further said.
Alleging that Kerala has descended into the rule of the lawless, who have been given full freedom to assault the law-abiding, Tharoor said that the CM has to be accountable for this assault.
Meanwhile, Sudhakaran gave a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking permission to move a breach of privilege against Kerala police in connection with the violence.
The Kannur MP alleged breach of privilege and targeted assault on his life and his fellow members of Parliament during the march organised by the Congress this morning.
The senior leader charged in the letter that the “heinous breach of privilege” was orchestrated by the Kerala police under the “explicit directives” of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The MP pointed out that the brutal act was a blatant violation of their Parliamentary privilege.
Sudhakaran said it was Vijayan’s audacious intent to employ police force to physically target him.
AICC general secretary in charge of the organisation, K C Venugopal, said the attack on its party leaders was a serious matter.
“The KPCC president and the leader of the opposition were attacked. Grande was hurled at the stage when the leaders were addressing the party workers. This is unprecedented. This is a serious matter,” Venugopal told the media.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor and senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan rubbished the opposition charges and said it was a planned attack against the police by the Congress workers.
Jayarajan said the Congress workers hurled sticks with nails and pelted stones at police and were destroying the flex boards of the Left party from the beginning of the march itself.
“Police exercised maximum restraint. But stones were hurled at them. What else should they do? The Congress party is trying to destroy the peaceful atmosphere of the state,” Jayarajan said.
The Congress also said that they will continue its protest against police atrocities.
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