MLAs of the Congress-led UDF protested in the Kerala assembly.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance in Kerala protested inside the state assembly today over alleged police crackdown, a day after a Congress MLA and the president of the student wing - Kerala Students Union - were injured during clashes with the police in Thiruvananthapuram.
The student wing of the Congress in Kerala has called for a statewide shutdown of educational institutes today.
While Congress MLA Shafi Parambil was injured on the head during baton-charging by the police, visuals of Kerala Students Union Abhijit KM being hit by cops in uniform repeatedly with batons, as he lay helplessly on the road, were widely shared on social media. Both of them are in hospital.
UDF MLAs showed blood-stained clothes in the assembly this morning, raising slogans. Dramatic scenes were recorded as the Congress-led MLAs entered the well of the house in protest. A few of them got on to the dais of the speaker who left the assembly without stating anything.
The Congress's student wing was protesting against allegations of tampering of marks at Kerala University and also demanded justice in the case where two minor sisters were found hanging at their home in Palakkad in 2017. All the accused were recently acquitted by a court, despite the police initially claiming that the sisters were sexually abused, and the autopsy report of the younger sister confirming the same.
As protesters tried to break through police barricades, water cannons were used. In retaliation, protesters allegedly threw stones at police personnel, who in turn used tear gas shells to disperse them. Even as the police was detaining the protesters who had allegedly blocked the road, protesters including Shafi Parambil attempted to block a police vehicle, following which police baton-charged them.
Kerala minister EP Jayarajan said, "The police lathi-charged in response to attack from KSU protesters after several attempts at dispersing them using water cannons and tear gas shells. KSU protesters prohibited the police from doing their duty several times. Case against 20 such protesters have been registered. Several police personnel have been injured."
UDF MLA VT Balram, while moving for an adjournment motion, alleged that the police under the Pinarayi Vijayan government was behaving in an unrestrained manner and described the various severe injuries to KSU protesters during Tuesday's clashes. "Police under the Pinrayi Vijayan government is acting like monkeys and stray dogs."
Thursday is the last day of the sixteenth session of the Kerala assembly, and after the alleged police excess, the Congress-led United Democratic Front alliance is expected to raise a storm over the issue.