As the Nava Kerala Sadas moves into its last phase, protests erupt

Violent conflicts resulted from a new level of anti-government rallies as the Nava Kerala Sadas neared their final phase. After a while of remaining silent, Congress ultimately made the decision to retaliate, caving into internal party pressure.

On Wednesday, the Youth Congress secretariat march ended in a fierce street fight between its employees and the police, turning the state capital into a virtual war zone. In relation to the violence, 22 persons were taken into custody and five complaints were filed.

There were several violent incidents during the Congress’s marches to the state’s 564 police stations. Following a confrontation between Congress workers and police in Kochi, the police used water cannons to scatter the demonstrators. There were minor altercations during police station marches in Beypore and Nadapuram as well. Over the last several days, there have been conflicts around the state between DYFI activists and employees of the Youth Congress-KSU.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan led the Congress attack on Wednesday and threatened the government with severe reprisal. There will undoubtedly be reprisal if our demands are not satisfied. The individuals who assaulted the Youth Congress members from Kalliassery to Kollam are known to us. We’ll launch our counteroffensive right from Kalliassery. “We’ll strike back for every hit we take,” he said at the Youth Congress march in Thiruvananthapuram.

Youth Congress activists tried to use wooden rods to beat police officers in front of the Secretariat on Wednesday in Thiruvananthapuram | B P Deepu
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan responded by stating that no one should attempt to scare him. At Varkala, Pinarayi said, “You should check with K Sudhakaran, whether you can intimidate me.”

On the day the Nava Kerala Sadas arrived the state capital, the Youth Congress conducted a secretariat march. This march resulted in violent altercations, in which several police officers and workers were hurt. The march was held in retaliation for the assault on KSU and YC employees who had stood up to the Sadas.

Speaking to the YC demonstrators, Satheesan remarked that those who had assaulted the workers during their protests against Nava Kerala Sadas need to be taken into custody by the police. In addition, he called for the chief minister’s personal security guards to be fired for assaulting YC employees.

Following the completion of remarks by high-ranking officials, the police attempted to scatter the demonstrators. The cops used water cannons at the demonstrators because they ignored their demands. In the meanwhile, a few demonstrators—among them women as well—attempted to break into the secretariat grounds. When the police started detaining the demonstrators, the situation became worse. YC employees who were furious attempted to obstruct the police cars carrying the inmates being removed. They vandalized several police shields and broke the windows of a police bus. Several YC leaders, including state president Rahul Mamkootathil, were hurt when the police used lathicharge.

When some of the female demonstrators were reportedly mistreated by the police, the demonstration erupted. The agitators were said to have been even more enraged when the ladies were prodded with lathis. In the meanwhile, the demonstrators forced the inmates to be freed by obstructing police cars.

After the YC members freed their fellow countrymen from the police bus, the confrontation flared up once again in front of the DCC office when the police attempted to storm in. The individuals who planned the prank, according to the police, were hiding in the party office, and they were looking to arrest them. Senior leaders Satheesan and others hurried to the office and said that the police would not be allowed in. Then two YC employees turned themselves in.

22 persons were detained by the police in relation to the altercations that followed the Youth Congress secretariat march, and five complaints were filed. One of these incidents was reported by the Museum police in relation to the violence in front of the DCC office, while four were reported by the Cantonment police in relation to the violence in the secretariat. The detained were placed in non-bailable portions of the book. Eight police officers were reportedly hurt while on duty. According to YC, a number of its leaders and members were hurt by police targeting.

In relation to the violence during the YC Secretariat march, the cantonment police have filed another complaint against thirty Congress politicians, including the Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan, MLAs Shafi Parambil and M Vincent, and YC state president Rahul Mamkoottathil. Shafi, Vincent, and Rahul are the second, third, and fourth accused in the FIR, with Satheesan identified as the first accused. P4