Minister OJ Janeesh Alleges Conspiracy Behind Youth Congress Rally Violence

Kollam: Sports Minister O J Janeesh on Friday alleged a conspiracy behind the violence at a Youth Congress rally near the Kerala University men's hostel in Thiruvananthapuram and the subsequent attacks on his vehicle in Kannur and Kasaragod districts.

A Youth Congress protest rally held on Wednesday against the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls turned violent after its leaders alleged that bottles and stones were hurled at the march from the university hostel by SFI activists.

The SFI, however, alleged that Youth Congress workers had first thrown firecrackers into the hostel compound.

Several youth leaders were injured in the police lathi charge that followed the clashes.

In protest against the police action, Janeesh's vehicle was stopped and damaged allegedly by DYFI activists at multiple locations in Kannur and Kasaragod on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Janeesh, who is also the state president of the Youth Congress, said there was a clear conspiracy behind both incidents.

"It is not possible to consider this as something that happened naturally. This was part of a conspiracy. That is what I was able to understand from the attacks directed at me while I was on my way to attend various government functions in Kannur and Kasaragod," he said.

Referring to the fourth death anniversary of senior CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Thursday, Janeesh questioned why former Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan and party state secretary M V Govindan did not attend the commemoration in Kannur.

He alleged that the leaders stayed in Thiruvananthapuram as part of a plan, allegedly involving CPI(M) leaders and centred around the University College hostel, to exploit the clash and mobilise party workers.

"They decided to stay in Thiruvananthapuram because what we understand is that a conspiracy was hatched, centred at the University College hostel, with the connivance of CPI(M) leaders, to see if they could capitalise on the violent incident and bring about a shift in Kerala's politics on the basis of that event," he said.

Janeesh alleged that the objective was to provoke CPI(M) workers who were disappointed by the party's electoral defeat and bring them onto the streets.

He questioned why SFI workers were provoked by slogans raised by the Youth Congress against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the BJP and the RSS.

"When hearing those slogans, why did SFI workers feel provoked, taking them as slogans directed against their own leaders? How could they throw beer bottles and stones at the protest march?" he asked.

Janeesh also criticised CPI(M) leaders for protesting in Delhi over the same issue while, he alleged, their workers were disrupting protests by youth organisations in the state.

Police are investigating the attacks on Janeesh's vehicle at two locations in Kannur and searching for those involved, officials said.

Two cases naming DYFI activists as accused have been registered at Taliparamba and Payyannur police stations.

Six people have been arrested and remanded in custody in the Taliparamba case, in which the minister's car was allegedly blocked and attacked, officials said.

Police are searching for eight identifiable activists, they added.