The Opposition Congress has slammed the ruling Communist government over the “disgraceful behaviour” by SFI goons in blocking the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s car. Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, where the alleged incident took place, said that police under the CPI(M) rule have been working as agents of lawlessness.
“Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking Shri Arif Mohammad Khan Sahib’s car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable. The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party’s worst excesses. They allowed an assault on the Governor while allowing the manhandling of peaceful student demonstrators against the CM. Shameful,” the Congress MP wrote on ‘X’.
His response came after Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan accused Chief Minister Vijayan of hatching a conspiracy to physically harm him.
Khan’s accusations against the Kerala CM came after his convoy was blocked by members of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M). The alleged incident took place when Khan was going to the airport.
Speaking to reporters, the Kerala Governor claimed that vehicles of protesters were standing there.
“Is it possible that if a Chief Minister programme is going on, cars with protesters will be allowed there? Will they (police) allow anybody to come near the car of the Chief Minister? Here cars of the protesters were standing there and police pushed them into their cars and they ran away,” Mr Khan said.
Khan said that goons have taken the charge of the roads in Thiruvananthapuram and it is the state’s chief minister who is behind the conspiracy to hurt him physically.
“So, it is the Chief Minister, I am saying it clearly, who is conspiring and sending these people to hurt me physically. The ‘goondas’ have taken charge of the roads of Thiruvananthapuram,” he added.