The Left Democratic Front (LDF) would launch agitation demanding inquiry into what they termed ‘police atrocities’ against the youth activists agitating against the State government decision to increase the retirement age.
Speaking to media persons here on Saturday CPI (M) leader V N Vasavan, CPI district secretary V K Sasidharan NCP general secretary Uzhavoor Vijayan and others said that the LDF would hold a protest march and public meeting on Tuesday seeking inquiry into the police action last Wednesday against unarmed agitators and disciplinary action against erring police personnel.
According to them the agitation in Kottayam was part of the State-wide struggle against increase in retirement age of State government employees. However, ‘on the basis of the order received from top, the police had tried to drown it in blood’, they alleged citing the intensity of the police action. Even women volunteers were at the receiving end of the police action, they said and pointed out that eight of them were still in hospital.
The LDF leaders alleged that the DySP Radhakrishna Pillai had received injuries during the police action against agitators. However police are trying to implicate DYFI leaders in the issue. According to them, six volunteers have been remanded to sub jail in various cases connected with the agitation. “All of them had serious injuries and they are denied medical attention,” LDF leaders said.
Tuesday’s protest march and public meeting will be inaugurated by LDF convener Vaikom Viswan. Ramachandran Kadannappally, Mathew T Thomas, E S Bijimol, N K Premachandran and others will speak.
