The Congress in Kerala on Friday, July 1, categorically rejected the ruling CPI(M)'s allegation that the former was behind the attack on its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. The Congress party has said that it is not its policy to target its political opponent's office. The opposition party also alleged that their party offices were targeted by the Left cadres across the state including in the districts of Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Thrissur.
The police prevented a protest rally from being taken out by the CPI(M)'s youth outfit DYFI to the District Congress Committee (DCC) office in Pathanamthitta. Strongly condemning the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed the police to bring the culprits before the law. However, no arrests have been made in this connection so far, the police said.
Tension gripped Kerala as an unidentified person allegedly hurled an explosive substance at the state headquarters of the ruling CPI(M) late Thursday night. Police said the explosive substance was hurled at the AKG Centre here, by a motorbike-borne man at around 11.30 pm. CPI(M) leaders, who reached the spot alleged that it was a "bomb attack". Some party leaders, who were staying at the party office, said they heard a powerful blast outside the building.
Senior CPI(M) leader and LDF convener EP Jayarajan, who lives in the neighbourhood, alleged that the Congress was behind the provocative action and appealed to the CPI(M) workers to remain calm.
Earlier in the day, Vijayan visited the AKG Centre, located in the heart of the city, and appealed to his party cadres not to get provoked by the incident and to show maximum restraint. "The most significant office of the largest political movement in the state has been attacked. It is a deliberate attempt to create provocation and upset the peaceful atmosphere in the state. The culprits and those behind them will be found for sure," he said in a statement later. Strict directions have been given to police to nab the guilty and bring them to book, the CM added.
CCTV footage of a man in a bike throwing the country bomb outside the ground floor of AKG centre in Trivandrum. The incident is reported to have occurred around 11:30 pm. pic.twitter.com/OKmJRbq1nM
— Korah Abraham (@thekorahabraham) June 30, 2022
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, VD Satheesan said the party leadership had no knowledge of the midnight incident and would let the police investigate and ascertain the truth. Noting that the people in the state clearly know that the Congress party and its workers were not the ones who plan and execute such attacks, he asked the ruling party to explain on what grounds they were levelling charges against them.
"The CCTV visuals were not clear... Let the police probe and find out the real culprits... The Left government is facing a series of allegations and they are on the defence due to our ongoing protests. Those who want to shift the attention and focus from the present issues are the ones behind the attack," he told reporters.
KPCC chief K Sudhakaran also rejected the Marxist party's allegation and accused LDF Convener EP Jayarajan of 'masterminding' the attack against the Left party's office.