Youth organisations of the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Indian Union Muslim League clashed with the police at many places in Kerala on Friday as their Statewide protest marches demanding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s resignation in the gold-smuggling case turned violent.
The police used water cannons and lathicharged the activists to disperse them. All COVID-19 caution was thrown to the winds by the protesters. Over 6,500 cases have been reported in the State so far and the numbers are going up each day.
Over 50 Youth Congress activists marched to Mr. Vijayan’s house at Pinarayi in Kannur and tried to climb over the barricades, and the police used water cannons to disperse them.
In Kozhikode, 14 Muslim Youth League activists were injured when the police resorted to lathicharge after they threw stones on being prevented from marching to the Collectorate. A few media personnel were also injured in the melee. The marches turned violent in Kollam and Alappuzha also.
The Customs Department seized over 30 kg of gold from a baggage carrying the name of a diplomat that landed by air cargo at the international airport here on Sunday.
The case took political overtones after it was found that a woman suspect had been working for the State IT department, a portfolio held by the Chief Minister. She was later sacked.
A former employee of a foreign consulate here has been arrested while the ex-IT Department employee, who is absconding, has moved the Kerala High Court for anticipatory bail.
Keeping the heat up against the government, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran, and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy held a joint press meet here and reiterated their demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case, in which the Centre has already announced an National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation.
Cabinet meet sought
“The Chief Minister should convene an emergency Cabinet meeting as soon as possible and recommend a CBI probe in the matter,” the KPCC president told reporters. Pointing out that the case had international ramifications, he said the Chief Minister’s Office should also be brought under the probe’s purview.
While welcoming the NIA probe, Mr. Chennithala said the case should also be investigated by the CBI and the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) as the NIA could not probe the corruption angle. “The BJP is trying to save the government and the Chief Minister,” he said.
