Ker CM has become a laughing stock in front of people, says Congress

PTI, Feb 20, 2023, 2:40 PM IST

Kozhikode: The opposition Congress in Kerala on Monday alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who does not allow people to wear black masks or use black flags even for funerals has now become a laughing stock in front of the people of the state.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said the Chief Minister has become a “coward” who hides behind policemen.

The Congress-led UDF has been organising widespread protest against the Left government in Kerala over the budget decision to impose Rs two cess on fuel prices in the state.

Satheesan was referring to reports of an alleged ban on black attire and masks at a Kozhikode event of the Chief Minister yesterday.

“By not allowing people to wear black masks or use black flags even for funerals, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has now become a laughing stock in front of the people of the state. He has turned into a coward who would run into a thousand policemen even if children were waving black flags along the road,” Satheesan told reporters here.

He said the protesting Congress workers were termed as “suicide squads” by the CPI(M) party state Secretary M V Govindan.

“When we announced a protest against tax imposition, the Chief Minister said the UDF only knows how to conduct Satyagraha. But now, the Chief Minister is hiding behind the police. CPI(M) has admitted that the opposition’s struggle has grown from satyagraha to suicide squad. Apart from being called urban naxalites and terrorists, the protesters are now being called suicide squads,” Satheesan said.

He said his party will intensify the protest.

The Congress in Kerala had on Sunday threatened legal action against the allegedly illegal preventive detention of some of its party leaders and workers during Vijayan’s visit to Kozhikode for an event.

Some Congress workers were taken into custody by the police while they were standing on a road close to the route to be taken by the Chief Minister and visuals were aired on TV channels showing them questioning their detention.

The Congress had on Sunday questioned why the CPI(M) and the Kerala Chief Minister were against protests when they have a proud tradition of holding agitations.

Govindan had earlier referred to the black flag protestors as “suicide squads” of the Congress who were bent on throwing themselves in front of the Chief Minister’s cavalcade.