DYFI, KSU activists engage in street fight over black flag protests in Kollam

Kollam: Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Kerala Students' Union (KSU) came to blows on Tuesday over the display of black flags at the bus carrying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues to take part in the state government's outreach programme Nava Kerala Sadas here.

The fight broke out when the workers of the KSU, the student wing of the opposition Congress, tried to wave black flags at the CM's vehicle. The activists of the DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPM, tried to prevent them from showing the flags which led to a street fight for some time in Jerome Nagar in the heart of the city.

The visuals of the activists of both outfits, engaging in a fight using long sticks like swords on the busy road, went viral on social media platforms. Police later arrested and removed all the protesters from the scene.

Since the beginning of the Nava Kerala Sadas programme last month, Kerala has been witnessing fights between KSU and DYFI activists at various places over showing black flags at the vehicle of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues.

Cong to hold march to DGP office on December 23
The Congress party will hold a massive march to the office of the state DGP Sheikh Darvesh Sahib on December 23 as a mark of protest against the alleged attacks on Youth Congress-KSU activists over their black flag protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The opposition party alleged that the ruling CPM workers and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's security personnel have been brutally assaulting the activists of their youth and student outfits for waving black flags.

Over 25,000 party workers, under the aegis of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, would march to the DGP office, its general secretary T U Radhakrishnan said. The march would be led by KPCC Chief K Sudhakaran.

Senior party leaders including Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan, CWC members Ramesh Chennithala, Shashi Tharoor and Kodikkunnil Suresh, UDF Convenor M M Hassan and all party MLAs, MPs, DCC presidents and other office-bearers would take part in the march, he said in a statement.

As part of the protest, over five lakh Congress workers would march to 564 police stations across the state under the aegis of the party's mandalam committees on December 20.

The protest march to the DGP office would be a continuation of the police station marches by the party workers, he said.

An online meeting, chaired by KPCC Chief K Sudhakaran, decided to hold the mass protest march under the KPCC.

The Congress statement further alleged that "criminals" in the CPM, police and the security personnel were unleashing violence. 

A physically challenged Youth Congress activist and a KPCC office-bearer were also assaulted by them in the name of the black flag protest, it said.

The KPCC cannot overlook the violence that is being unleashed violating all boundaries of democratic decency, the KPCC added.

Since the beginning of the government's Nava Kerala Sadas programme last month, Kerala has been witnessing fights between KSU and DYFI activists at various places over showing black flags at the vehicles of the CM and his cabinet colleagues.

The brutal thrashing of the Youth Congress activists by security personnel of the CM in Alappuzha triggered a controversy recently.
(With PTI inputs)