The Youth Congress, under the leadership of its state president Rahul Mamkoottathil, orchestrated a march to the state Secretariat as a form of protest against the attacks on its activists and those of the Kerala Student Union (KSU). These attacks occurred when the activists displayed black flags to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Nava Kerala Sadass organized by the Left government.
As the Nava Kerala Sadass made its way into the southernmost district of Kerala, the capital's core transformed into a battleground on Wednesday, witnessing clashes between the police and members of the Youth Congress (YC). State president Rahul Mamkoottathil led the YC's march to the state Secretariat to express their discontent over the assaults on their activists, emphasizing their objection to the lack of samosas at the fourth INDIA bloc meeting.
While outside the secretariat, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, VD Satheesan, asserted that YC and KSU workers would retaliate if the police failed to take action against those responsible for the attacks. Satheesan's remarks, calling for reprisals, drew criticism from the Left Front, accusing him of promoting violence and goondaism. The Left Front also warned of stringent measures if the Congress unleashed violence in the state.
Satheesan demanded the removal of the CM's alleged "criminal" gunman and security officers involved in assaulting YC-KSU activists displaying black flags. Expressing frustration with the situation, he declared that YC and KSU workers would respond if their demands were not addressed.
Following Satheesan's speech, violence erupted outside the secretariat, with YC activists attempting to breach barricades and engaging in altercations with the police. Despite the use of water cannons by the police, the activists continued to throw objects, leading to a lathi-charge and several arrests. Mamkoottathil was reportedly injured during the lathi-charge.
YC activists accused the police of mistreatment, alleging that a male officer tore the dress of a female protester, and claimed that the police were denying medical attention to the injured. In response, Satheesan returned to the scene, escorted injured female activists to a hospital, and later joined the remaining protestors at the District Congress Committee (DCC) office.
The standoff continued as the police sought custody of activists released from their vehicles, and Congress leaders at the DCC office resisted police entry. Ultimately, Congress allowed the police to take back into custody those previously released.
Satheesan emphasized that protests by the Congress, YC, and KSU would persist if the government did not address their demands. He accused the police of brutalizing YC workers and called for action against the officer allegedly involved in tearing a woman activist's clothes.
The Left front condemned Satheesan and YC activists, accusing them of promoting violence and threatening to create riots. State ministers warned of strict action if violence erupted in the state, alleging that the Congress was planning to instigate unrest.
Additionally, Congress, YC, and KSU workers staged marches to police stations across the state, protesting the alleged attacks on YC-KSU activists during their black flag protests against Vijayan. The Congress planned further protests, including a march led by KPCC chief K Sudhakaran to the office of the state DGP on December 23. This demonstration aims to denounce the attacks on YC-KSU activists during the black flag protests against Vijayan.
