Kochi: Congress MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly was allegedly manhandled by activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) – the youth wing of CPM – when he was at a private hospital in Perumbavoor here on Sunday. The Perumbavoor MLA’s driver suffered injuries.

Kunnappilly said around 60 DYFI workers stormed the hospital premises in 20 motorbikes and unleashed violence on Congress supporters. The MLA was at the hospital with a Youth Congress activist who was earlier assaulted by a group of DYFI workers for staging a protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led Nava Kerala Sadas.

Stepping up their protest against the government, KSU-Youth Congress activists had thrown a shoe at the specially-designed bus in which the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues tour the state when the vehicle passed by Perumbavoor.

Kunnappilly, who was seeking treatment from the hospital after the attack, demanded that the DYFI workers be charged with attempt to murder.

“Around 12 youth belonging to KSU, Youth Congress and United Democratic Youth Front waved black flags at the chief minister. There was no violence at all. Then, DYFI goons wearing khaki pants and white shirt attacked the Youth Congress workers. They tried to hit Noel, one of the protesters, with a bike and left him severely injured. Even after the chief minister left the place, police were not ready to shift Noel to hospital. Knowing about it, I reached the police station and with police’s help I moved the injured youth to hospital. Then they were shifted to a private hospital and I took them in my vehicle. After they got admitted, around 60 DYFI workers came to the hospital in 20 bikes and started attacking our workers. They came shouting slogans. As I rushed to my workers and I asked the DYFI workers to disperse they manhandled me. They pulled me by my shirt and hurt me. Seeing this my staff driver Appu came to me and resisted them. He was attacked brutally causing heavy bleeding from his nose. Municipal chairman Biju John Jacob and several Congress workers were also manhandled,” the MLA said in a video message from the hospital.

Congress leaders slammed CM Vijayan for the attack on the MLA. Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the chief minister paved way for the situation in which even an MLA gets assaulted. “Criminals, instead of cops, have been entrusted with the task of arranging protection for Nava Kerala Sadas,” he said.

Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas said his party will take out police station marches in 14 assembly constituencies on Monday to protest the attack. He said goons were going on a rampage under the patronage of the ruling party.

Earlier in the day, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said that the chief minister should be made the first accused in the cases relating to the attack on Congress activists. He reiterated that the chief minister was justifying and encouraging the assailants.