No respite appears to be in sight with both the CPI(M) and the BJP hardening their positions in the aftermath of the clash that took place at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a day ago.
The alleged manhandling of Mayor V.K. Prasanth and a few others have led to the police registering a case against 27 BJP workers, including as many as 20 councillors, booking them under various provisions of Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code that pertained to attempt to murder.
Meanwhile, Mr. Prasanth has been transferred from the critical care unit to a room at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital but continued to be kept under close observation by the attending team.
The CPI(M) leadership has demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged attack on Mr. Prasanth. The party claimed that the presence of certain BJP workers, who have been involved in criminal cases in the past, strengthened the possibility of the violent incident being orchestrated.
On the other hand, the BJP hit back by accusing the CPI(M) of foisting false charges and exaggerating a minor incident for political gains. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V.S. Achuthanandan, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja, CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran, and former KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran were among those who visited Mr. Prasanth at the hospital.
Strongly condemning the incident, the Kerala Mayors’ Council, chaired by Kozhikode Mayor Thottathil Raveendran, termed the incident ‘unprecedented and unjustifiable.’
A rare first
“It is for the first time that a Mayor has come under attack in the State. The incident, which went against democratic principles, cannot be justified in any manner. The government must adopt all possible steps in apprehending those behind the incident,” Mr. Raveendran said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the case that registered by the Museum police had V.G. Girikumar, BJP parliamentary party leader at the council, among those who were listed as accused.
Booked
Seven BJP workers, who were present during the incident, were also booked by the police.
They were all booked under relevant sections including Section 307 (attempt to murder), 143, 149 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 352 (assault or criminal force) of the Indian Penal Code.
BJP’s complaint
At the same time, the police registered another case on the basis of a complaint submitted by Mr. Girikumar.
His complaint was against the Mayor, four other CPI(M) councillors, and a staff member of the Mayor.
