Anti-CAA stir: Black flags waved at Muraleedharan, Yediyurappa in Kerala; 35 detained

Congress workers detained in Kerala for waving black flags at Karnataka CM Yediyurappa

Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode: As anti-CAA protests continues across Kerala, Union Minister V Muraleedharan and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddiyurappa were shown black flags by students' outfits on Tuesday, even as various Muslim outfits took out a march to Raj Bhavan in state capital.

A group of activists of Students Federation of India (SFI), the students' wing of the ruling CPI(M), waved black flags at Muraleedhran when he came to attend a function at the Town Hall in Kozhikode.

Though police personnel immediately arrested and removed the protesters using force from inside the hall, they continued to raise slogans against CAA and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

However, the union minister later told reporters that the Centre has no plans to implement the National Register for Citizens (NRC) in any part of the country other than Assam.

"The Centre is implementing the NRC in Assam as the Supreme Court has ordered to do so. No discussion has been held so far to implement it in any other parts of the country... and the government has no plan for that," Muraleedharan said.

When asked about the police actions, including firing against the protesters, the minister said it was natural that such things would happen when there was violence.

Congress workers detained in Kerala for waving black flags at Karnataka CM Yediyurappa
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa offers worship at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Monday. Photo: PTI

Earlier in the day, three activists of the Youth Congress waved black flags at Karanataka Chief Minister, B S Yeddiyurappa, as he arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to board a flight to Kannur.

He arrived at the state capital last evening to offer prayers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

The activists, who were standing near the parking area, waved black flags at Yeddiyurappa and shouted "go back" as his motorcade reached the airport.

The three were immediately arrested and removed, the police said. Black flags were also shown to the Chief minister at two places in Kannur.

"The activists surrounded the CM's car, raised slogans and tried to stop the vehicle. Some of them came in front of the vehicle, but were removed by police, No damage was done to the vehicle, Kannur Superintendent of Police Prateesh Kumar Sinha, told PTI.

At least 12 workers of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) have been taken into custody, he said.

On Monday, police had taken into custody at least 20 activists of the Youth Congress, for allegedly attempting to show black flags to the Karnataka Chief minister in Thiruvananthapuram.

Hundreds of people, under the banner of Muslim Coordination Committee, took out a protest march to Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor here. Holding placards and banners stating "Protect Secularism" and "No CAA... No NRC", the protesters including children squatted on the road and raised slogans against the Centre and the Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who repeatedly voiced support to the Act.

Youth League workers continued to lay siege to post offices in several places including in Kasaragode and Kannur.

Their head post office march and dharna turned violent in Kozhikode on Monday.

'Conspiracy by vested interests'

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday termed as a "conspiracy by vested interests" the attempt by pro-CP (M) activists to block his car in Kerala and said such an incident should not lower the dignity of the state, known as the "God's Own Country".

Yediyurappa, currently on a personal visit to temples and religious places in the neighbouring state, also said it was wrong to blame all Keralites for the incidents.

BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje termed it an act of "Communist goons" and lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not providing adequate security to Yediyurappa, and turning the state into a "state of goons".

"The incident during visit to Kerala temple is a conspiracy by vested interests. I'm someone who has immense devotion for God from the beginning. This is my personal visit. Blaming all Keralites for the heinous act of a few is wrong. Let such an incident in the god's own country not lower the dignity of Kerala," Yediyurappa tweeted.

However, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje termed it an act of "communist goons" and lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not providing adequate security to Yediyurappa, and turning it into a "state of goons".

"CM @BSYBJP's convoy was attacked by the Communist goons in Kannur today. Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi has made it a state of goons, he failed again to provide adequate security to @CMofKarnataka. This shows TOLERANCE level of preachers of the tolerance," Karqandlaje tweeted along with a video of the incident.

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