BJP-Yuva Morcha march to Keralam Assembly turns violent, police use tear gas

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) march to the Keralam Assembly over alleged irregularities in the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) and seeking the resignation of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan turned violent on Friday, prompting the police to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters, officials said.

The BJP and Yuva Morcha organised the march over alleged irregularities in the commission, including delays in recruitment to government jobs.

They demanded Mr. Vijayan’s resignation following the registration of cases by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) against him and his family in connection with alleged payments from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) when he was the Chief Minister.

More than 200 BJP and BJYM workers, including women, marched towards the Assembly, where the police had erected barricades to prevent them from proceeding further. When some protesters attempted to remove the barricades and climb over them, the police initially fired multiple rounds from water cannons, officials said. When they refused to leave, the police fired two rounds of tear gas, officials said.

The BJP leaders alleged that the tear gas was used without provocation and claimed that several party workers and a journalist covering the protest were injured. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, they said.

In a statement, the Yuva Morcha alleged that the police fired tear gas shells without warning, seriously injuring its State secretary Adeena Bharathi. She was hospitalised and given emergency treatment after a shell exploded, tearing flesh from one of her fingers, the organisation said.

The Yuva Morcha has called for Statewide protests on Friday and Saturday against the police action. The organisation said its workers would hold demonstrations at district, constituency and panchayat centres, accusing the UDF government of police excesses and demanding Mr. Vijayan’s resignation.