The arrest of Youth Congress leader and former MLA Sabarinadhan KS on Tuesday, July 19, on charges of conspiracy over the in-flight protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last month has elicited strong reactions from Congress leaders. They asked Kerala Chief Minister, who also handleS the home portfolio, why Sabarinadhan was booked under attempt to murder charges, while his anticiaptory bail plea was under the consideration of court. Sabarinadhan is the state Vice President of Youth Congress.
The Opposition leaders also pointed out that no case was filed against Mattannur MLA EP Jayarajan, who pushed down the Congress protesters inside the flight. Indigo Airlines had imposed a no-flying ban on EP Jayarajan for three weeks while Youth Congress activists who shouted slogans at the Chief Minister inside the flight last month were banned from flying for two weeks.
“The youngsters who shouted “protest, protest” in the flight was booked under attempt to murder charges. Now, a former MLA has also been booked. But no case has been registered against EP Jayarajan, who pushed down the Youth Congress workers. Whatever, Chief Minister said in the Assembly regarding the incident was wrong,” VD Satheesan said in a press meet in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal alleged that CM Pinarayi Vijayan has the same style of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in suppressing protests. “Sabarinadhan was arrested while his anticipatory bail plea was still in the court and he was arrested for leading a protest against CM. This is an autocratic attitude,” he said.
Congress MLA and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President Ramesh Chennithala also strongly condemned the arrest of Sabarinadhan. “Indigo conducted an investigation and it was found that the offence by Jayarajan was more serious. That is why Jayarajan was banned for three weeks. Youth Congress workers were banned for only two weeks. When it’s Jayarajan who committed the graver offence of assaulting them, why is there no case against Jayarajan?” Chennithala asked, adding that Sabarinadhan’s arrest was due to political rivalry.