Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 30 (IANS) The BJP’s youth organisation has stepped up protests against Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan across Kerala, calling them a tit-for-tat response to the Youth Congress protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Kollam last week.
The protests have now brought the political confrontation between the ruling Congress-led UDF and the BJP to the streets.
BJP Yuva Morcha workers have targeted CM Satheesan as well as other ministers during their protests.
Youth Congress workers had staged a protest when HM Shah arrived in Kollam last week.
The BJP youth wing has described its protests against CM Satheesan as a response to that incident.
The confrontation also involved State Sports Minister and Youth Congress president O.K. Janeesh.
As the protests intensified, Yuva Morcha workers also staged a protest against Janeesh when his vehicle passed.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Yuva Morcha workers staged a protest when CM Satheesan returned from Delhi and was travelling to his official residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
The protests have also spilled over into attacks on Congress offices.
Two Congress offices in the district were damaged after stones were allegedly thrown at them.
The incidents drew a sharp response from state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and state Congress president and Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph.
Chennithala said protests were part of democratic politics and could be held, but “destruction could not be accepted”.
Such incidents would not be tolerated, and action would be taken, he said. Sunny Joseph also expressed strong resentment over the attacks and said political protests should not take the form of violence or destruction.
The escalation comes as the new government faces increasingly aggressive street protests from Opposition organisations.
CM Satheesan has maintained a relatively small security convoy since taking office.
Unlike his predecessor, Pinarayi Vijayan, he has been travelling with only a pilot and an escort vehicle.
On Wednesday morning, CM Satheesan reportedly expressed his displeasure on seeing an additional pilot vehicle when he had arrived for the inauguration of a function.
The latest protests, however, have raised fresh concerns within the government over the security of the Chief Minister as political clashes between the Congress and BJP youth organisations intensify.
The BJP youth outfits have indicated that their street protests will continue, keeping the confrontation between the two sides alive in the coming days.
–IANS
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