Kerala Congress Workers Met With Water Canons & Tear Gas During March To DGP Office. Here's What's Happening

Thiruvananthapuram is currently experiencing tense moments as Chief Minister's Nava Kerala Sada approaches its culmination on Saturday.

Currently, Congress workers are protesting the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues' convoy during the state-wide Nava Kerala Sadas yatra ( Image Source :Twitter/@ANI )

Kerala Congress workers launched a protest march towards the DGP office in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, expressing condemnation for the purported police intervention during the December 20 demonstration by Youth Congress workers. During the march to the DGP's office, the police reportedly abruptly resorted to water cannons to disperse the protesting Congress workers, sparking controversy, particularly given the culmination of Nava Kerala Sadas in the capital city.

Thiruvananthapuram is currently experiencing tense moments as Chief Minister's Nava Kerala Sadas approaches its culmination on Saturday.

Top Points

• According to ANI, Police use water cannon to disperse Congress workers in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram protesting against alleged police action on Youth Congress workers during a protest demonstration. 
  
  

  #WATCH | Police use water cannon to disperse Congress workers in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram protesting against alleged police action on Youth Congress workers during a protest demonstration pic.twitter.com/s1gEZLTaWo

  — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

• After the police action, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor claimed the move as "contempt for democracy and human rights". MP Shashi Tharoor said, "It was a shocking experience today... I was personally a witness to the brazenness of their contempt for democracy and human rights. There was a very peaceful protest going on... Suddenly without any provocation, a tear gas shell explodes just behind the stage and a water canon is fired."
  
  The MP said that he did not understand why there was no warning issued. Tharoor said, "I immediately called the DGP and protested in the strongest language... It was a criminal act... This happened without any provocation, without any warning... Kerala is witnessing the rule of the lawless who have been given full freedom to assault the law-abiding... I'm also going to take it up with the Speaker of the Parliament because the parliamentary privileges of half a dozen MPs on the stage were violated..."
  
  
• Taking to X, Congress Kerala said, "Rogue CM @pinarayivijayan unleashed his criminal police on the Congress state leaders including PCC president @SudhakaranINC and LoP @vdsatheesan and made an attempt at their life. Mr.Sudhakaran is hospitalized after a grenade attack on him. A peaceful protest against the government was turned into a virtual war. Such undemocratic barbarism has no place in India. CM and his party must understand that our patience has limits. Everyone should condemn the fascist government in Kerala."
  
  

  Rogue CM @pinarayivijayan unleashed his criminal police on the Congress state leaders including PCC president @SudhakaranINC and LoP @vdsatheesan and made an attempt at their life. Mr.Sudhakaran is hospitalized after a grenade attack on him. A peaceful protest against the…

  — Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) December 23, 2023

• On Thursday (December 20) A march orchestrated by the Kerala Students' Union (KSU), a student wing of INC, to the DGP's office escalated into violence, resulting in clashes between the police and protesting students. The demonstration, held in the state capital, sought to condemn reported attacks on KSU and Youth Congress activists by individuals associated with CPI(M), DYFI, and the Chief Minister's gunman. Conflict arose when a protesting KSU worker reportedly threw chilli powder at the police, leading to a lathicharge in response.

• Currently, Congress workers are protesting the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues' convoy during the state-wide Nava Kerala Sadas yatra. Allegations have been made that the government machinery is being utilized for the political campaign of the Left party. Nava Kerala Sadas is an outreach program, involving the chief minister and ministers traveling through all assembly constituencies of the state.