A gun-toting man brandishes his weapon at his detractors, as they chant slogans against him. This isn’t a villain in a film. This is Kerala MLA PC George, who had attempted to intervene in a local dispute. But instead, he pulled out his pistol and pointed it at protesters after talks failed.
Unbecoming of a public representative, Poonjar MLA PC George on Thursday waved his pistol in a fit of rage, after he tried to intervene in an encroachment dispute in his constituency.
George had gone to Mundakkam Vellanadi estate in the afternoon, after hearing of a dispute between the workers of the estate and some other families, who allegedly encroached on the estate land.
According to reports, at least 50 families, mostly belonging to SC/ST communities, had put up their shelters in the porambokku land of the estate. The workers of the estate took out a protest march, demanding that the encroachers leave the place. Soon, an argument broke out between the estate workers and the families, forcing MLA George to reach the spot.
Reports say that MLA George backed the families who encroached the land, which irked the estate workers. Soon, an argument broke out between the workers and the MLA.
In a video of the incident, George can be seen arguing with the workers and walking towards his car, as hundreds of protesters walk behind him. At one point, the arguments get louder and the workers begin to raise slogans. "Inquilab Zindabad," they shouted, as MLA George walked towards his car.
This is when MLA George pulls out his pistol and points it at the crowd. He also pushes a man standing next to him.
After a brief pause, one of the protesters can be heard saying, "Sir, shoot us if you can."
To this, the MLA retorts: "Didn't you say you will hit me? Hit me now."
Speaking to a news channel, MLA George's son Shaune George argued that the estate workers had tried to attack his father.
"He is a person who intervenes in people's issues, and that's why he was there. The protesters threatened to harm him, that's when he pulled out the gun, that has been given to him for self-defence. Do you call people who threaten to cause harm, protesters? Shouldn't they be called attackers?" Shaune argued.
Meanwhile, according to local media reports, some protesters have accused the MLA of threatening to pour acid on them.
This isn’t the first such instance involving George. The independent MLA was recently accused of slapping a canteen employee. The employee had in February alleged that George had slapped him when he entered the MLA's room to serve him lunch. The MLA reportedly slapped the canteen employee for being late to deliver his food.
In 2015, the former Chief Whip of the Kerala government became the first MLA to be censured in the state Assembly for derogatory remarks against a few political leaders.