Kerala Political Clash: Police Deploy Tear Gas as UDF and CPI(M) Workers Engage in Confrontation
Perambra, Kerala – A violent confrontation between workers of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] erupted in Perambra, Kerala, on Friday evening, leading to the intervention of law enforcement. Police resorted to lathi charges and tear gas to disperse the clashing groups.
The clashes occurred during rallies related to the Perambra CKG College union elections. The incident resulted in injuries to several individuals, including Shafi Parambil. The unrest prompted a local hartal (strike) in Perambra.
The series of events unfolded amidst heightened political tensions in Kerala. Just a day prior to this clash, the Kerala Legislative Assembly witnessed significant turmoil, resulting in the suspension of three Congress MLAs: Roji M. John, M. Vincent, and Saneesh Kumar. Their suspension followed a confrontation that led to an injury to the Chief Marshal of the Assembly. The incident stemmed from opposition protests over various issues, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's remarks and the controversial Sabarimala gold-plated idol sale.
Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan accused ministers and ruling party MLAs of making unparliamentary comments and alleged that watch-and-ward personnel were used to intimidate opposition members. Satheesan stated that the opposition's protest was peaceful, demanding the resignation of Minister V.N. Vasavan and the removal of Devaswom Board members, also calling for action against those involved in the theft and sale of the temple idol. Following Satheesan's statement, opposition members marched into the Assembly hall, raising slogans and banners.
Adding to the escalating tensions, BJP workers clashed with police in Palakkad on Thursday during a protest against the alleged theft of gold from Sabarimala. Police used lathi charges and water cannons to disperse the protestors, resulting in minor injuries to several BJP workers. BJP State vice-president B. Gopalakrishnan alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case and demanded his resignation from the Home Department and the dissolution of the Devaswom board.
Earlier in August, Kollam also witnessed clashes between CPI(M) and Congress workers, leaving several injured. The incident occurred during a Congress protest meeting against alleged CPI(M) violence, with both sides blaming each other for initiating the clashes.
These incidents underscore the ongoing political volatility in Kerala, marked by frequent clashes between opposing political factions and protests over various socio-political issues. The use of force by law enforcement to control these situations raises concerns about the handling of political dissent and the potential for further escalation of tensions in the state.
