BJP protests across Kerala after attacks on party office and leader’s vehicle

The BJP and its youth wings intensified protests across Kerala on Thursday after an attack on the party’s State headquarters and an alleged assault on the vehicle of party leader P.K. Krishnadas. The protests followed incidents on Wednesday night, when unidentified people allegedly hurled bottles and stones at the BJP office, Mararji Bhavan.

Krishnadas’s vehicle was also allegedly attacked earlier that evening. In Thiruvananthapuram, BJP activists marched towards the Secretariat and scuffled with police. The protesters attempted to push past barricades and engaged in verbal confrontations with officers who tried to stop them from overturning the barriers.

BJP activists also waved black flags at Higher Education Minister Roji M. John in Chengannur. The party said the attack on its office was a challenge to democratic principles and argued that violence was not an acceptable substitute for political debate.

Krishnadas said the BJP did not believe in violence and would confine itself to democratic protests. He also claimed that the security of Union Home Minister Amit Shah had been compromised after a recent black-flag protest by Youth Congress activists during his visit to Kollam. BJP State general secretary S.

Suresh accused the Congress of attempting to undermine democracy through violence and warned of a strong response. BJP national secretary K. Surendran questioned why the State Home Department had not registered a case over the protest against Shah, citing an alleged admission by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister O.J.

Janeesh that it had been organised. The latest clashes have added to political tensions in the State. Police were examining CCTV recordings from the BJP office, but the people responsible for the attack had not been identified, according to the source material.