“Planned act of violence”: Pinarayi Vijayan accuses Youth Congress of targeting SFI activists
Pinarayi Vijayan alleges the Youth Congress march was a planned act of violence to target SFI activists and divert attention from government failures.
Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has launched a scathing attack on the Youth Congress, alleging that their recent march in Thiruvananthapuram was a planned act of violence specifically designed to target SFI activists. Vijayan claimed the demonstration, which was publicly framed as a protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Sangh Parivar, was actually aimed at the University hostel and SFI members.
Allegations of Diversion and Political Motives
In a social media post on Facebook, Vijayan suggested that the incident was orchestrated to shift public focus away from the state government's shortcomings. He alleged that the torchlight march was a staged event intended to appease the RSS and distract from several pressing issues facing the state.
According to Vijayan, the protest served as a cover-up for an embarrassing situation involving the Sports Minister, who had to withdraw a social media post following the Chief Minister's intervention. He listed several critical failures of the current administration that he believes the public should be focusing on instead, including:
- The ongoing severe power crisis.
- Shortages of essential medicines in hospitals.
- Concerns regarding sponsored trips.
- The perceived saffronisation of the education sector.
- Delays in providing flood relief.
Violence at the University Hostel
The controversy erupted following a clash near the University Men's Hostel in the Palayam area. Vijayan questioned the logic behind the Youth Congress's actions, noting that while the protest was ostensibly directed at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the violence was directed at students.
"If the protest was genuinely aimed at Gyanesh Kumar, why was there any need to throw flaming torches into the University hostel?" Vijayan asked. He further alleged that the situation reached a level of inhumanity when Youth Congress workers reportedly stopped an ambulance carrying injured individuals.
He also highlighted that the clash occurred at a time when students were protesting power restrictions, noting that the power supply had gone off just as the march began.
Criticism of Police Conduct
The former Chief Minister did not hold back in his criticism of the Kerala Police, accusing them of partisan behavior and brutality. He claimed that police officers entered the university hostel and assaulted students, including the SFI state secretary, who was allegedly attacked while intervening at the request of the police.
Vijayan has demanded strict disciplinary action against the officials involved, specifically naming the Cantonment CI and SI. He stated that the Chief Minister and Home Minister must answer for both the Youth Congress's violence and the police's conduct.
Supporting these claims, CPI(M) MLA PA Muhammad Riyas also criticized the police, questioning how a protest against the Election Commission transformed into a confrontation with SFI activists. He called for action against personnel who allegedly violated rules by entering the university hostel.
Vijayan concluded by warning that if the government continues to allow police and "goons" to suppress dissent, it will face a powerful protest from the people of Kerala.