Veteran CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan has been banned from flying for three weeks by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), after he was accused of physically assaulting Youth Congress workers who protested against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on board an IndiGo flight last month. Two Youth Congress workers, who were detained at the time — Farseen and Naveen Kumar — have also been banned for a period of two weeks.
The Youth Congress workers had raised slogans against the Chief Minister after his flight from Kannur landed in Thiruvananthapuram on June 14. A video clip of the incident released on social media by Youth Congress state vice-president and former MLA KS Sabarinadhan, showed senior CPI(M) leader and Left Democratic Front convenor EP Jayarajan pushing away the protesters. Jayarajan was accompanying the CM on the flight.
While the incident occurred on an IndiGo flight, the company said that the ban was put in place by an Internal Committee (IC) under the DGCA, and is in place for both domestic and international flights. However, EP Jayarajan has told the media that he is not aware of any such ban. The police also called Youth Congress leader KS Sabarinadhan for questioning. The Shanmukham Assistant Commissioner summoned Sabarinadhan to appear before the police on Tuesday, July 19, on a complaint that he allegedly planned the protest on the flight.
Following the protest last month, Farseen Majeed and Naveen Kumar were booked by the police under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. The Opposition had questioned why attempt to murder charges were foisted against the two for merely raising slogans. "What purpose is served by registering attempt-to-murder case against the activists who merely raised a slogan by repeating the word protest? It should be noted that the police however did not register any case against EP Jayarajan who assaulted them," Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan had said.
