The recent vandalism of MP Rahul Gandhi’s office in Kerala’s Wayanad has turned into a heated political debate, with the Congress blaming members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) for the attack on June 24. Among other heated debates, the question of who destroyed a framed picture of Mahatma Gandhi in the office has been stirring up controversy in the state, with CPI(M) and Congress pointing fingers at each other.
The Congress alleged that SFI members entered Rahul’s office, vandalised property and attacked people at the office. Visuals of the incident shared by the party on social media show some persons barging into the party office, raising slogans and vandalizing it. Videos also showed some books on the floor, and a portrait of Rahul Gandhi pulled down off the wall and fallen on the floor. The issue of the fallen protrait was discussed in a heated manner in the Assembly on June 27.
During the Assembly session, the Congress disrupted the entire session by protesting and raising slogans, condemning the attack on Rahul’s office. The Congressmen were seen wearing black shirts as a mark of protest and carrying banners and placards. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, amidst the accusations, alleged that the opposition party was trying to “create unrest” in the state, and also accused members of the Congress of damaging the protrait. “What Godse did literally, the Congress has done symbolically,” CM Pinarayi said.
Congress leader VD Satheesan retorted to the CM’s remark by saying that a humiliated CM Pinarayi was coming up with new theories because he could not say say anything else. “Mahatma Gandhi’s statue was decapitated in Payyanur two weeks ago also and the police are yet to take action,” he alleged.
Further, on Monday, July 4, Left Democratic Front (LDF) MLA V Joy pointed out in a submission in the Assembly, that according to news reports, the picture was hanging on the wall after the SFI activists were taken away by the police. It was found on the ground only after Congress workers were removed from the office, he added.
Responding to the submission, CM Pinarayi said, “According to the police, those who trespassed into the MP's office on June 24 were removed from there by 3.54 pm that day and when police department photographers captured photos of the site, the Mahatma Gandhi picture was on the wall. Even Malayalam news channels showed the same in visuals aired by them”.
He also added that Congress and its youth wing workers were present there and they were removed from the office subsequently. “Thereafter, when the police took a second round of photographs of the office, it was noticed that the picture of Mahatma Gandhi was lying on the ground in a damaged condition. A complaint regarding damage to Mahatma Gandhi's picture has been received and the police are investigating it”, Pinarayi said and added that a crime has been registered in connection with the illegal trespass into Rahul Gandhi's office and the damage caused there.
The issue is also expected to be raised during the discussions to be held in the House on Monday afternoon on the adjournment motion moved by the UDF (United Democratic Front) opposition alleging lack of police action regarding attacks on the CPI(M) state headquarters AKG Centre, as well as various Congress offices in Kerala.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, July 3, the Kerala state committee of SFI decided to dissolve its Wayanad district committee in connection with the vandalism of the Congress MP's office there allegedly by some of its activists.
(With PTI inputs)