Kerala Police lob teargas shells ‘unprovoked’ at Congress rally, KPCC chief Sudhakaran hospitalised

The cameras and other equipment of media persons covering the event were damaged in the unexpected action. Satheesan had to stop his speech midway and the angry party workers turned against the police.

The KPCC alleged that the police targeted Sudhakaran on Vijayan’s instruction. Speaking from his hospital bed, Sudhakaran told the media that the attack was pre-planned and executed by criminal elements within the police as directed by the Chief Minister.

Related: CM Vijayan justifies police booking woman journalist in shoe-hurling case

Congress to continue protest

He said that the Congress and the Opposition UDF would continue their protests against the government, which has been trying to implement a police raj in the state. Satheesan said that the Congress would intensify the agitation, and Saturday’s developments reflected the state’s deteriorating law and order situation under Vijayan’s dictatorial rule.

Congress leaders had a hard time controlling the irate workers, who took on the police with stones and sticks after they were targeted.

The protest march was organised on the concluding day of the chief minister’s much-hyped Nava Kerala Sadas. Several Youth Congress and KSU workers, who waved black flags at the chief minister’s luxury bus, were attacked by the police and DYFI activists across the state.

Besides Sudhakaran and Satheesan, senior leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and MM Hassan, were present on the makeshift stage near the DGP’s office when the police lobbed tear gas and used water cannons.

Also read: How CPI(M) in Kerala displays double standards on liberty, free speech

CM responsible for attack: Tharoor

“Today, I was able to add, albeit unwillingly, another new political experience of the first-of-my-lifetime kind: being 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, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor noted on X.

“With skin, eyes, and lungs still smarting, I have spoken in the strongest possible terms to the DGP, protesting this behaviour by his subordinates. He has promised a full inquiry,” he further said

“Kerala has descended into the rule of the lawless, who have been given full freedom to assault the law-abiding. Chief Minister Vijayan has to be held accountable for this brazen assault,” the Congress Working Committee member added.

The statewide tour by the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas, a mass contact initiative, witnessed widespread violence as CPI(M) cadre and the police, especially those part of Vijayan’s security detail, attacked Congress workers waving black flags at the motorcade.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan said the Congress was trying to instigate riots across the state. He accused Satheesan of instigating Congress workers to attack DYFI activists and jump in front of the chief minister’s convoy.

However, reports said the CPI(M) workers even attacked Congress workers in preventive detention at the Venjaramoodu police station in Thiruvananthapuram, even as the police looked on without intervening.

Today I was able to add, albeit unwillingly, another new political experience of the first-of-my-lifetime kind: being 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…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 23, 2023