This was part of the Opposition's protest against the state government's refusal to roll back the budget proposal to levy cess on fuel.
Protests with black flags and angry slogan have erupted against the chief minister across the state on multiple occasions, and still continue. (Wikimedia Commons)
A Youth Congress activist was held in Palakkad for waving a black flag at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday, 18 February, the police said.
He waved a black flag and raised slogans against the government when the chief minister’s convoy passed through Chalissery in Palakkad district, on his way to attend an event.
The police soon arrested the protester and removed him from the site.
In the wake of the chief minister’s visit, security was beefed up in many parts of the district. This move comes as a result of the ongoing protests by Opposition parties, especially by the constituents of the Congress-led UDF, against the state budget proposals.
Four Youth Congress activists were placed under preventive detention earlier in the day in Chalissery, the police said. They were released after the scheduled programme of the chief minister ended, they added.
On Saturday, 11 February, a group of Youth Congress workers attempted to jump in front of the chief minister’s convoy and wave black flags at him at multiple locations in Ernakulam district.
This was part of their protest against the state government’s refusal to roll back the budget proposals to levy cess on fuel.
The next day, the Congress party’s Ernakulam district president, Mohammed Shiyas, put up the offending post with a picture in which a police officer was seen dragging a woman Congress activist — with a “threatening” caption.
Police registered a case against Shiyas, under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Kerala Police Act, for the “threatening” post.
However, on Tuesday Shiyas hit back with another Facebook post claiming that the police would not be able to threaten him with the case and that protests against the officer would continue.
Similarly, in early February, a group of Youth Congress activists attempted to jump in front of the chief minister’s official vehicle as his convoy emerged from the state-run guest house, and waved black flags at him.
However, the slogan-shouting agitators were stopped by the police who cleared the way for the chief minister’s convoy to move forward.
Presenting the budget on 3 February, Kerala’s Finance Minister KN Balagopal had said that it was proposed to levy a social security cess on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and on the sale of petrol and diesel as the commitment to continue protecting the decent lives to vulnerable sections of society require supplementing the financial resources.
Since then, Opposition parties, primarily the Congress, have been protesting against the state government’s move.
Protests with black flags and angry slogan have erupted against the chief minister in this regard across the state on multiple occasions, and still continue.
(With inputs from PTI)
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