Opposition Leader in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Friday said that the UDF would initiate legal action against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayanbfor ”his call for violence.”
Satheesan was referring to the Chief Minister’s open endorsement of DYFI workers, who had smashed flowerpots and helmets on the heads of Youth Congress workers waving black flags at the Chief Minister and Ministers, who were returning from the Nava Kerala Sadas in the Kalliassery constituency.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had 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.
Speaking to media persons here on Friday, Satheesan said that the Chief Minister was standing by his words even after the police registered an FIR against them. “The FIR clearly says it was an attempt to murder,” the Opposition Leader said.
“The attack was so brutal that one of the Youth Congress workers had lost hearing on one side, another had internal bleeding, and a female worker had her arm broken. Even after all this, he considers this exemplary and exhorts his cadres to persist with it,” Satheesan said.
Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday once again reiterated his earlier stance and defended the acts of DYFI workers in Kannur who engaged in a tussle with Youth Congress workers.
“See I don’t support any sort of violence. In that particular situation, I think the DYFI workers actually saved the lives of Youth Congress protestors. Otherwise, they would have been hit by the bus,” he said on Thursday.
Satheesan said that he is the least apologetic about terming the Chief Minister as someone with a criminal mind.
“What is wrong in describing such a person as one with a criminal mindset? Why am I in this position if I can’t use strong words to counter the irresponsible and dangerous utterances made by a person holding the Chief Minister’s post with the clear intention of inciting violence,” Satheesan said.
Commenting on Satheesan’s crticicm against him, Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that his comments did not suit well with the post he was holding.
“VD Satheesan’s tone and language have taken a turn for the worse. Is it of his own volition, or is the Opposition Leader receiving the wrong advice,” Pinarayi Vijayan asked on Thursday.