Black flag protest / Photo: Screengrab from Mathrubhumi News
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.
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 be initiating legal action against the same.
Sudhakaran, in a release, contended that it has become difficult for people to go out when the Chief Minister has public events.
He alleged that in every district where Vijayan has some event, police were taking steps equivalent to an undeclared emergency.
He claimed that the state administration was encroaching on the fundamental rights, including freedom of movement and to dress as per one's choice, provided under the Constitution.
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.
He alleged that the police were creating an atmosphere of terror in the state because of the Chief Minister's travel itinerary.
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.
He said what the Congress was doing cannot be considered as a public protest.
Besides Congress workers, some Yuva Morcha activists were also taken into custody by the police for allegedly trying to protest against Vijayan.
PTI
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