Opposition stages walkout over lathicharge of YC activists

Thiruvananthapuram, June 20 (UNI) The Congress-led Opposition staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly today after Speaker K Radhakrishnan declined leave for an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Mr K C Venugopal on the police lathicharge of Youth Congress activists during their Assembly march yesterday.

Seeking leave for the motion, Mr Venugopal said several Youth Congress workers, including Pradesh Youth Congress President K P Anil Kumar, were injured in the "unprovoked" lathicharge.

He alleged that the government was using the police to suppress democratic agitations and warned of severe consequences if it continued such actions.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy alleged that there had been no provokation on the part of the Youth Congress workers warranting a lathicharge. No public or private property was destroyed during the Youth Congress march which was "absolutely peaceful," he said and wanted necessary action against the police officials responsible for the incident.

Mr K M Mani of the Kerala Congress(M) alleged that the police action had revealed the "Fascist face" of the Left Democratic Front government and warned of severe consequences if it continued to suppress people's agitations.

Mr Mani called for a judicial inquiry into the lathicharge by suspending the police officials responsible for it.

Replying to the notice for the motion, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the police were forced to use mild force when the Youth Congress march turned violent and pelted stone at them. Three policemen had also been injured in the stone-throwing.

Mr Balakrishnan said the government was not opposed to any democratic agitation but would not tolerate violence.

Denying the Opposition contention that the march was peaceful, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said the police came under severe stone-throwing forcing them to use mild force to disperse the protesters.

UNI PMM1305