Kerala: Congress mulls legal action after detention of its workers in Kozhikode

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala on Sunday threatened legal action against the allegedly illegal preventive detention of some of its party leaders and workers during Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's visit to Kozhikode for an event.

Vijayan was in Kozhikode to attend a Biodiversity Congress held at the Government Arts and Science College there. There was heavy police presence and tight security arrangements along the route taken by his cavalcade. Some Congress workers were taken into custody by the police while they were standing on a road close to the route to be taken by the Chief Minister and visuals aired on TV channels showed them questioning their detention.

Police taking steps equivalent to an undeclared emergency, allege leaders

In the wake of allegedly illegal detention of the Congress workers, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Lok Sabha member K Sudhakaran said the party would initiate legal action against it. Sudhakaran contended that it has become difficult for people to go out when the Chief Minister has public events.

In every district where Vijayan has some event, police were taking steps equivalent to an undeclared emergency, he claimed.

The state administration was encroaching on the fundamental rights, including freedom of movement and to dress according to one's choice, provided under the Constitution, he alleged.

Sudhakaran questioned why the CPI(M) and the Kerala Chief Minister were against protests when they have a proud tradition of holding agitations. He was referring to the alleged reports of a ban on black attire and masks at the Kozhikode event. The KPCC chief asked why Vijayan was afraid of black flag protests.

The police were creating an atmosphere of terror in the state because of the Chief Minister's travel itinerary, he said.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan referred to the black flag protestors as "suicide squads" of the Congress who were bent on throwing themselves in front of the Chief Minister's cavalcade. What the Congress was doing cannot be considered as a public protest, he said.

Some Yuva Morcha activists were also taken into custody by the police for allegedly trying to protest against Vijayan.