Kerala: LoP Satheesan slams CM Pinarayi Vijayan for not calling off PFI protests

Kerala LoP VD Satheesan slammed the state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not calling off the protests and said that there was no intervention by the police in the matter.

Kerala LoP VD Satheesan slammed the state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not calling off the protests and said that there was no intervention by the police in the matter. His remarks came on Saturday while addressing the media.

"We have already deplored the violent hartal conducted by the PFI. There was widespread violence across Kerala. But the police was a silent witness. There was no intervention by the Kerala Police. And yesterday the Kerala CM made a speech at a political function. He was not even ready to denounce the hartal conducted by the PFI," said Satheesan. He further alleged that the police helped the protestors.

"It was with the help of the Police that the PFI conducted widespread violence across Kerala. They never intervened. So many persons were attacked, and so many public assets were damaged," he added. He also called out the communalism in the region and said," In Kerala, we have taken a strong stand. We will never compromise majority communalism as well as minority communalism. Our stand is that both these forces are harmful to the nation. When one group is doing mischief, that will help the existence of the other. That will create insecurity among the others. That insecurity itself helps for growing these types of outfits on both sides."

The PFI on Friday called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala, which turned violent in parts of the state. Stone-pelting was witnessed at various places, including at the RSS office at Mattannur in Kannur. Two police officials were also injured in the incident in Kollam.

The Kerala High Court initiated a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA. Notably, as per a Kerala HC order on January 7, 2019, nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the court directed the police to ensure that "adequate measures are put in place to prevent any damage/destruction to public/private property of Government/citizens who do not support the call for hartal." (ANI)

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