Youth Congress said it would strengthen the protest against the Chief Minister over the issue
Thiruvananthapuram:
The political controversy in Kerala over the in-flight protest by Youth Congress workers against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when the police probing the matter arrested Congress leader KS Sabrinadhan, He was accused of conspiring behind the action.
In a setback to the LDF government in the state, a court here granted bail to Sabrinathan earlier in the day.
While granting bail, the court directed him to appear before the investigating officer for questioning in the next three days and produce his mobile phone if required by the investigating officer. He has also been asked to furnish a surety bond of Rs 50,000.
Leaving the court after securing bail, Sabrinadhan along with Congress MLAs PC Vishnunath and Shafi Parambil called Chief Minister Vijayan a “coward” who fears opposition from the people and alleged that under his rule the state was a “banana republic”. has been made. Sabrinadhan, who is also the vice-president of the state Youth Congress, denied allegations that he had participated in a conspiracy to target the CM inside the plane.
He said that the Youth Congress will intensify its protest against the Chief Minister in the gold smuggling case. VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said the court’s decision was a major setback for the Chief Minister. He also said that the UDF’s protest against gold smuggling would be intensified.
Earlier in the day, alleging a “high-level conspiracy” behind the police move, the Congress claimed that information about Sabrinadhan’s arrest first surfaced in a court here when it was on his anticipatory bail plea. was thinking.
Police, however, claimed that Sabrinadhan was called for questioning by the Valiyathura police station here in the morning and his arrest was registered at 10.50 am.
Sabrinadhan, a former MLA and son of late Congress leader G Karthikeyan, spoke to the media while being taken to the hospital for a medical examination, dismissing the police statement about his arrest. He claimed that his arrest was registered at 12.30 pm.
Condemning the arrest of Sabrinadhan, Satisan said it was a “democratic” act of the CPI(M)-led government. “It cannot be accepted,” the Congress leader said.
“Sabrinadhan was arrested following a conspiracy at the highest level of the government. He has been charged with attempt to murder. He will be protected politically and legally,” Satheesan told reporters.
The police had on Monday served notice to Sabrinadhan for questioning as part of a probe into the incident of in-flight protest organized by Youth Congress workers against the chief minister.
The action comes after a screenshot of an purported chat from a WhatsApp group went viral. In the chat, Sabrinadhan reportedly suggested the group members to protest on the plane.
The Congress leader was arrested on a day the opposition UDF refused to register a case against the Left government against senior CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan for allegedly molesting two Youth Congress workers who raised slogans against the chief minister on a plane. was targeted.
Raising the issue in the assembly, the opposition leader said, “Our children (Youth Congress workers) raised slogans but Jayarajan attacked them.” Referring to the three-week flight ban imposed by private airline IndiGo against Jayarajan, Satheesan said the airline understood this and gave a “higher punishment” to the CPI(M) leader.
The Chief Minister, in his reply, rejected the opposition’s demand for legal action against Jayarajan, who is also a former minister, and said that the LDF convener was actually protecting the CM from the attackers.
Vijayan said the investigation indicated that Youth Congress workers, including its top leadership, conspired to carry out the incident.
Meanwhile, the Youth Congress said it would strengthen the protest against the chief minister over the issue.
Indian Youth Congress MLA and state president Shafi Parambil told the media that the arrest showed that the chief minister was afraid of even a small protest.
Parambil said, “If any organization decides to show black flags, how can it be an attempt to murder or how can it be a terrorist act. This shows that the Chief Minister is a coward. He is opposed to black flags.” Not even ready to face it.” ,
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)