Tear gas shell causes uneasiness to MPs, MLAs
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 23: A battery of senior Congress leaders in Kerala, including MPs and MLAs, suffered from suffocation, and some were even hospitalised on Saturday after police fired tear gas shells near a stage erected in front of the office of the State Police Chief, following the opposition party’s protest that turned violent.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly, V D Satheesan, KPCC chief and Parliamentarian K Sudhakaran, MPs Shashi Tharoor, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, K Muraleedharan, Jebi Mather, senior leader and MLA Ramesh Chennithala, other MLAs were on the stage when a tear gas shell blasted behind the venue.
The march was organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) alleging police atrocities against its workers during their agitation over the ‘Nava Kerala Sadas’ outreach programme of the Left government which concluded today.
Many senior leaders were seen developing uneasiness and discomfort in the unexpected usage of tear gas shells and workers could be seen running to them and shifting them to safety.
While the Congress and UDF leaders alleged that it was a “premeditated attack” targeting their life, the ruling CPI(M) and LDF justified the police action by saying that it was the opposition party activists who tried to create issues.
As soon as Sudhakaran concluded his speech, the Congress workers started climbing the barricades erected near the DGP office and attempted to force their way past the security cordon.
By the time the next speaker, Satheesan, was addressing the crowd, police resorted to using water cannons to prevent the protesters from climbing the barricades. The police then fired a tear gas shell at the agitators which fell just behind the main stage where the MPS and MLAs were present.
Satheesan suddenly concluded the speech while the Congress workers took the leaders to safety.
Sudhakaran, who showed discomfort, got himself admitted to a private hospital after he suffered suffocation due to the tear gas. He was escorted by the Congress workers to the hospital in a car belonging to a media house.
AICC general secretary in charge of the organisation, K C Venugopal, said the attack on its party leaders was a serious matter.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor and senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan rubbished the opposition charges and said it was a planned attack against the police by the Congress workers. (PTI)