Palakkad: Chaos broke out at a council meeting of the Palakkad Municipal Corporation on Monday after Congress and Left party members strongly opposed a resolution to name a proposed skill development centre for the disabled after Rastriya Swayamsevak Sang (RSS) founder Dr. K.B. Hedgewar. Despite the commotion, the BJP managed to pass the resolution.
A video has emerged, in which the leaders can be seen jostling. The clash erupted between the opposition UDF-LDF and the rulling BJP. In the video leaders can be seen with placards which read "Who is this Hedgewar." Leaders can be seen trying to hit each other. The ruckus continued despite police presence. The woman members can be seen trying to get out of the council hall. In the video, councillors can be seen throwing objects on each other.
According to reports, the situation escalated into physical altercations, with some members seen hitting each other with slippers and damaging municipal property within the council hall.
After the incident, Palakkad Municipality Vice-Chairman and BJP leader Krishna Das speaking to the media, accused the Congress and CPM members of deliberately disrupting the proceedings.
"Palakkad Municipality wanted to launch a skill development centre for the disabled, but even that was disrupted by the Congress and CPM. Today, during the council meeting, the chairman invited all parties for a discussion. But instead of debating the matter, the UDF and LDF members created a ruckus, tried to manhandle the chairman, and damaged municipal property," he said.
Opposition leaders, however, alleged that the move to name the centre after Hedgewar was politically motivated and an attempt to push the RSS ideology through civic institutions. They demanded that the naming be reconsidered, calling it "divisive" and "inappropriate" for a public welfare facility. There has been no reports of severe injuries.
