In a scathing attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Wednesday called the former a criminal.

Stepping up his criticism against the chief minister, Satheesan said Pinarayi Vijayan is still the criminal he used to be.

“He is a criminal. His old traits are still with him,” Satheesan said, apparently referring to Vijayan’s alleged involvement in cases of political violence in the past.

Satheesan targetted CM Vijayan personally in response to the latter’s remarks on the brutal attack by DYFI workers on the Youth Congress activists who waved black flags at him in Kannur.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has the other day termed the attack on Youth Congress workers as an exemplary rescue work by DYFI.

Youth Congress activists who waved black flags to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues, returning from the Nava Kerala Sadas in the Kalliassery constituency, were brutally beaten up by CPI-M-DYFI workers in Pazhayangadi  near Kannur on Monday.

The chief minister’s assertion that DYFI workers had actually saved the lives of Youth Congress activists—who had purportedly attempted to jump in front of his cavalcade and wave black flags at the Nava Kerala Sadas in Pazhayangadi—infuriated the Congress leaders

“I saw it happen in front of my eyes. The DYFI workers were attempting to stop those (Youth Congress workers) from jumping in front of the approaching vehicle. They had to employ some force, but it was necessary to save the lives of the Youth Congress activists. It wasn’t an attack,” CM Pinarayi Vijayan said.

At a news briefing, the Chief Minister told reporters, “It was an admirable move on the part of the DYFI workers and my plea to them is to continue the same.”

Satheesan said that the Chief Minister has a cruel mind and that Kerala is not a monarchy and accused the Chief Minister of inciting riots

“It was clearly an attempt to murder and the chief minister is justifying it. He is a criminal. His old traits are still with him,” Satheesan  told media persons in Kochi

“Pinarayi Vijayan is not eligible to hold the position of Chief Minister with the charge of the Home Department for a moment. Pinarayi Vijayan should resign as Chief Minister immediately,” said V D Satheesan.

The Opposition leader also made it clear that if the CM is reluctant to step down from power, he should issue a public apology.

“The Chief Minister must tender an apology to the public for asking the DYFI workers to take law into their hands and step down from his post. His statement has been proved wrong as the police who booked a case against those involved have invoked Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against 14 DYFI workers. We are planning to take legal recourse against the Chief Minister for his inflammatory appeal,” he said.