THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM-DYFI workers led by V Sivankutty MLA gheraoed Excise Minister K. Babu at the inauguration of Kerala State Beverages Corporation headquarters here on Monday and raised black flags against him demanding resignation over the bar bribery allegation.
The police resorted to minor lathicharge to disperse the protesters who tried to break police barricades.
Nearly 100 CPM activists, including women, staged the protest by squatting on the road leading to the new beverages corporation headquarters building. As the protest mounted, the K. Babu’s vehicle could not reach the venue.
Subsequently the minister had to walk to the venue through an alternative passage. On seeing the minister at the venue, women activists waved black flag at him.
This resulted in a scuffle between the police and activists. Mr. Sivankutty said that since K M Mani who faced charge of taking Rs 1 crore bribe had quit, there was no justification in Mr. Babu who faced charge of Rs 10 crore still continuing in office. He also expressed displeasure over not inviting the Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan to the event.
During his inaugural address, Babu said that the UDF government excise policy could have caused loss to individuals. But the government was more concerned of the welfare of the people, he said.
The minister said that apart from awareness programmes against liquor consumption, Beverages Corporation was initiating many welfare initiatives.
