Attacks on Congress offices heighten political tensions in Kerala
Two attacks on Congress offices in Thiruvananthapuram district have heightened tensions between Congress and BJP supporters in Kerala. Police have increased security around key party offices as leaders condemn the incidents, while investigators have not publicly identified those responsible for the damage and fire.
Two attacks on Congress offices in Thiruvananthapuram district have heightened political tensions in Kerala, prompting police to increase security around key Congress and BJP offices across the State. Unidentified persons set fire to the Congress Anavoor Mandalam Committee office at Paliyode Junction in Neyyattinkara on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, Congress workers found a window panel at the District Congress Committee office near Bakery Junction shattered by stone-throwing.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala visited the district office and said attacks on political offices were alien to Kerala’s democratic culture. He said he would not speculate about the identity or political alignment of those responsible and added that the police were investigating. Chennithala said the United Democratic Front government would not tolerate attempts to introduce violence into politics.
He also said protests were a democratic right but should not turn into violence or anti-social activity. The incidents followed a tense standoff between Youth Congress activists and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha supporters after Congress workers waved black flags at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s convoy in Kollam district on September 26. The Youth Congress protest formed part of a nationwide Congress campaign seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress has alleged that he enabled voter identity fraud and disenfranchised minorities and marginalised communities; the supplied material does not record a response to those allegations. The BJP State unit accused the Congress-led UDF government of a security failure. Subsequent confrontations included black-flag protests involving the convoys of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Chennithala, clashes in Kannur and an incident at Aralanmoodu in which BJYM workers blocked Sports Minister O.
J. Janeesh’s vehicle. Police security has since been stepped up.
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