The injury sustained by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in stone-throwing in Kannur during a Left Democratic Front demonstration on Sunday triggered off wide-spread protest by Congress workers across the State.
Congressmen staged demonstrations in protest against the “barbaric and anti-democratic action sponsored by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).” Party activists blocked roads and national highways. The UDF leadership called for protests at the Assembly constituency-levels on Monday.
The first to protest was Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala. He termed the incident premeditated and accused the CPI (M) leadership of complicity in it. He said that the primitive agitations of that party against an elected Chief Minister went against the very grain of democratic functioning. It was clear that the incident was premeditated as the Left leaders had given a warning against the Chief Minister participating in the function.
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Finance Minister K.M. Mani said the attack on Mr. Chandy was a black spot on the democratic setup of the country. The attack amounted to an assault on the people of the State. Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran, strongly condemning the incident, asked the CPI (M) to give up its policy of political violence.
UDF Convenor P.P. Thankachan termed the attack primitive. Industry Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Rural Development Minister K.C. Joseph, and Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed were among the others who condemned the attack.
CPI (M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said his party and the LDF had nothing to do with the attack on the Chief Minister. The CPI (M) and the LDF’s agitations had been peaceful and attacking the Chief Minister was not on our agenda. “The incident needs to be thoroughly investigated,” he said. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan said the attack could not be justified. The LDF had announced a peaceful agitation against the Chief Minister, he pointed out.
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