LDF stages walks out from Keralam Assembly over police action at University Hostel

The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) staged a walkout from the Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday after Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan disallowed its notice for an adjournment motion on the alleged attack by Youth Congress workers on the University Youth Hostel on September 30 and the subsequent police action. The Speaker declined to admit the adjournment motion based on Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s statement.

The House witnessed dramatic scenes as CPI(M) MLA V. Joy, who along with CPI MLA K. Rajan and RJD MLA P.K. Praveen moved the motion, held up the broken end of a baton which was allegedly used by the police to beat the students at the Youth Hostel. The Speaker directed the Watch and Ward to collect the baton for examination. LDF MLAs held up images of the police action and the injured students as Mr. Joy spoke.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Kerala Police should not be used in a manner similar to how the Delhi Police is being used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to suppress the protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over vote theft allegations. Mr.Chennithala said that the Youth Congress was marching against Mr.Gyanesh Kumar when SFI activists jeered and threw bottles from inside the hostel, leading to a confrontation between them. Police officers, who tried to bring the situation under control, suffered injuries. Cases were registered against 75 activists each from the SFI and the Youth Congress, he said.

Mr.Vijayan alleged that the fact that the protest led by Sports Minister O.J.Janeesh began in front of the hostel, from where no protest has ever been organised, points to an element of planning. “The only justification that they are giving for the attack on the hostel is that there was a power cut and students inside jeered. How can that be a provocation for the Youth Congress to throw flaming torches inside the hostel? The Fire Force had to be deployed to put out the fire. Students suffered injuries to the head in the police action. The Youth Congress activists even blocked the ambulance in which the injured were being taken. The SFI has been protesting against Gyanesh Kumar for days. All these student and youth organisations need not be on the opposite sides on this issue,” he said.

Going soft on BJP

Mr. Vijayan alleged that the State Police has been soft on Sangh Parivar and BJP activists over attacks on Congress offices as well as incidents of ministers being black-flagged or stopped on the road and forced to walk to their offices. “The Cantonment CI and SI went to the SFI District Secretary’s home and issued threats. They have been making statements over social media and even referring to the Home Minister’s name. The Minister has to think how they got the courage to do this,” he said.

Mr.Chennithala said that directions have been given to enquire into the allegation of police officers making social media posts. Action will also be taken against a police officer who had allegedly in an inebriated state attacked DYFI activists who were protesting against Mr.Gyanesh Kumar in Palakkad on Sunday. “The police force under our government is the same as it was under the past ten years of the LDF government. We haven’t given any special instruction or training to them. In the past ten years, there have been several instances of Youth Congress coming under attack from the police force. You have been protesting against this government from Day One, without allowing us even a honeymoon period,” said Mr.Chennithala.