Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa faced a slew of black flag protests in Kerala on Tuesday. The Youth Congress, the Kerala Students Union, and the Democratic Youth Federation of India spearheaded the raucous protests in Thiruvananthapuram and in Kannur.
The activists had targeted Mr. Yediyurappa for his support for the new and allegedly “anti-Muslim” Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The detention of Kerala journalists in Mangalore last week and a purported comment by the Karnataka Home Minister that Keralites from across the border in Kasaragod were responsible for the CAA-related street violence in that State appeared to have provoked the ire of the protesters.
BJP condmens it
The back-to-back black flag protests had drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and also Mr. Yediyurappa himself. Mr. Yediyurappa told journalists that he had arrived on a private visit to Kerala. Simple propriety demanded that he be spared of political harrying when in Kerala for personal reasons.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan condemned the ruling front and Congress-led Opposition for targeting the Chief Minister of a neighbouring State while on an apolitical and unofficial visit.
Several BJP leaders said Mr. Yediyurappa had arrived in Kerala as a State guest. The Congress and the Left had treated him like an enemy. Their behaviour towards Mr. Yediyurappa ran against the grain of Kerala culture of receiving guests as gods.
Later in Kannur, DYFI and SFI activists waved black flags and shouted slogans at Mr. Yediyurappa’s cavalcade while on his way to offer prayers at Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy temple. He faced a Congress protest on his way to the Rajarajeswara temple at Taliparamba.
At the Caltex junction at around 12.15 p.m., District Police Chief Pratheesh Kumar forcibly removed Congress black flag protesters to make way for the VIP motorcade. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Taliparamba, T.K Rathna Kumar said the police had resorted to preventive arrests and deployed more than 150 officers for Mr. Yediyurappa’s security.
BJP State cell coordinator K. Ranjith said party workers would hold marches to condemn the treatment accorded to the Karnataka Chief Minister in Kerala.
