Thiruvananthapuram: A police case has been registered against Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan for the violence during a Youth Congress march to the State Secretariat on Wednesday. This makes him the first accused in the case.
The Congress on Wednesday launched a series of agitations across the state against the ruling front and the alleged attacks on Youth Congress and Kerala Student Union (KSU) members who had shown black flags to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme. There was widespread tension in the Congress marches to the Secretariat and 564 police stations across the state. The police had to use the water canon several times to disperse the crowd at the Secretariat.
Satheesan has been charged under non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly attacking the police and participating in the destruction of public property during the march, the police said.
An officer from the Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment police station said around 300 Youth Congress activists, including its chief Rahul Mamkootathil, former president Shafi Parambil (MLA), and M Vincent (MLA), have also been implicated in connection with the incident.
In response to the police action, Satheesan mocked the charges against him and wrote on Facebook, "Please tell the Chief Minister that I have got scared."
Addressing the march, Satheesan warned of retaliation if the police did not take action against those who attacked the Youth Congress workers across districts during the state government's Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme.
Vijayan accused Satheesan of trying to disturb the peace by inciting violence against the government and its outreach programme.
The chief minister claimed that Satheesan, in his speech outside the secretariat, repeatedly encouraged Youth Congress activists to "hit back", effectively calling for violence against the government and its outreach programme.
(With PTI inputs.)
