Congress warns of keeping aside Gandhian ways to fight CPIM party supporters

Kochi: The Congress party in Kerala has taken an extremely offensive stance against the ruling left government, against the backdrop of a series of attacks against the party youth workers who waived the black flag against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's ambitious people-connected movement 'Nava Kerala Sadas'.

Apart from the attack against KSU by DYFI, the Kerala Chief Minister's security personnel brutally attacked Youth Congress workers with sticks in broad daylight in Kannur. In Allapuzha, three days ago the CM's gunman Anil Kumar and the CM's escort personnel Sandeep jointly assaulted the congress workers. 

The attacks were also given umbrella support by the chief minister, who bemusingly justified it as an act of protection for the attackers, who otherwise would have been hit by the convoy that they tried to barge into. 

The grand old party cadres which continued to be at the receiving end of violence have now called for an all-out offensive in the last leg of the chief minister's Yatra which will culminate on December 24.

Opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan minced no words when he expressed that every attacker of the congress cadres would be taken on one by one. "Action should be taken against the leaders and the Chief Minister's security personnel who unleashed violence against us. if they are not arrested and jailed, we will retaliate," he warned.

He was speaking while inaugurating the Youth Congress Secretariat March on Wednesday in Thiruvananthapuram, with a clear message of shedding Gandhian ideology. 

"It is up to the police, the DGP, the Chief Minister who is in charge of the home department of Kerala, to arrest the criminals and put them in jail by charging them. Your gunmen and TSOs are criminals. They should be removed from that position. Even if both of these are not done, We will retaliate," he said, "Every single criminal will be dealt it."

He further cited that the congress party has collected the complete addresses of all individuals belonging to the party who attacked party workers with weapons, helmets, sticks and flower pots from Kalyassery in Kasargode in the north tip of Kerala to Kollam in the Southern tip.

" If we cannot protect these children, if we cannot protect the children of the Youth Congress and KSU, might as well our dump our positions and take up sainthood," he declared in full emotional wrath as hundreds of party workers clapped and took the clarion call.

Satheeshan further underlined that the support will not be from outside. It will be support rendered while standing with them hinting that Congress is ready for a street fight with the opposition. 

"They are dearer to us than positions of power. If their body has been hurt, if they have screamed, if they have been injured, if their blood has fallen on this soil, if you don't take legal action, there will surely be a backlash. We will be heading it. not from outside, but being right with them," he stated. 

Violent protests across the state

Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi witnessed massive protests by the congress alleging subversion of the police department by CPIM. 

Youth Congress State President Rahul Mamkootathil and Shafi Parambil, MLA, accused the police of allegedly ripping up the dress of a woman congress worker. Water cannons were used in protests held in at least 5 districts. Detained congress workers were forcibly freed by the cadres in Thiruvananthapuram. Tense movements prevailed as police circled the congress district office in the capital demanding the release of their activist who was freed from police clutches. 

VD Satheeshan trying to instigate riots: MV Govindan

Meanwhile, CPIM state secretary MV Govindan admonished the congress for its 'violent protests'. "VD Satheeshan is trying to create a riot-like situation. The police maintained utmost restraint during the congress protest in Thiruvananthapuram. The Congress workers broke government properties," Govindan stated. 

DYFI threatening plans go awry. Gets thrashed by BJP Yuva Morcha in Kollam

On Tuesday night, BJP Yuva Morcha Thrashed DYFI cadres who were following the Kerala chief minister's convoy on their bikes got beaten black and blue following a ruckus with BJP Yuva Morcha, in Kollam. The modus operandi of direct assault and threatening of those waving black flags against the Chief Minister went kaput for the Marxist youth workers who misjudged a number of BJP workers protesting by the roadside. As per local media reports, 20 minutes of conflict led to DYFI workers ending up in hospital and Yuva Morcha workers ending up in police custody.