Fund misappropriation row: VD Satheesan slams attack on Congress workers in Payyannur
Satheesan said CPM workers had brutally attacked Congress activists who were conducting a protest march.
Satheesan said CPM workers had brutally attacked Congress activists who were conducting a protest march.
Satheesan said CPM workers had brutally attacked Congress activists who were conducting a protest march.
Kannur: Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, on Sunday condemned the alleged attack on Congress leaders by CPM workers in Payyannur, accusing the ruling party of attempting to incite violence.
Speaking to the media, Satheesan said CPM workers had brutally attacked Congress activists who were conducting a protest march. He alleged that statements made by the CPM Payyannur area secretary amounted to a call for violence against those organising protests.
Satheesan said it was a serious matter that such statements were being made in the Chief Minister's home district and warned that the Congress would continue its protests unless legal action was taken against those responsible. He added that such attacks would not deter the party from moving forward.
Tensions flared in Payyannur town on Saturday when CPM workers allegedly attacked a group of Congress activists who were marching through the town demanding the resignation of Payyannur MLA T I Madhusoodanan. The protest followed allegations by CPM Kannur district committee member V Kunhikrishnan, who accused Madhusoodanan of misappropriating funds collected between 2016 and 2021.
According to Kunhikrishnan, the funds included money raised in the name of slain party worker C V Dhanaraj, contributions for constructing the CPM Payyannur Area Committee office, and funds collected for Madhusoodanan's 2021 Assembly election campaign.
Police said CPM workers confronted the protesters over alleged provocative slogans, leading to a clash in which three Congress workers were injured, including Payyannur Block Congress Committee president Jayarajan.
Condemning the incident, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph described the attack as an attempt to divert attention from the allegations raised within the CPM. He demanded the arrest of all those involved in the violence.
District Congress Committee president Martin George also accused the MLA of attempting to suppress protests through violence. He later visited the injured Congress workers, who are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Payyannur.