Kochi: Congress activists who staged a protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were assaulted by CPM workers at Perumbavoor here on Sunday. Members of the Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress were assaulted by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists who were accompanying the Nava Kerala Sadas journey of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues. DYFI is the youth wing of the ruling CPM.

Similar incidents have been reported from various parts of the state ever since Vijayan started his outreach programme from Kasaragod.

KSU, the student wing of the opposition Congress, stepped up its protest against Vijayan's government as its activists threw a shoe at the specially designed bus in which the state cabinet is touring the state.

KSU activists threw shoe at the bus when the vehicle reached Odakkali on the way to Kothamangalam from Perumbavoor. Provoked by the act, DYFI workers attacked the protesters. Four KSU workers were taken into police custody for staging the protest.

DYFI workers beat up the protesters in the presence of police and also burned the flags of KSU and Youth Congress.

The KSU, meanwhile, said it will strengthen the protest against the Nava Kerala Sadas in the coming days and the shoe throwing protest will be continued across the state.

"The act of throwing shoe at the chief minister was part of our response to the DYFI and Kerala police which faced our black flag protest with muscle power. KSU will continue with the protest across the state," KSU state president Aloysius Xavier said in a statement.

Responding to the shoe protest, the chief minister said those who resort to such acts will have to face consequences.

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.