A 97-day-long relay agitation against a recently-established Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) at Muttathara witnessed tense moments after the city police pulled down the protest ‘pandal’ and arrested around 50 demonstrators on Thursday. The police action paved way for the opening of the outlet, which has remained closed for close to two months.
Local residents and leaders of political parties and religious organisations, spearheaded by the Madhya Virudha Janakeeya Samithi, have been on a warpath, ever since the Bevco had shifted one of its outlet near Kovalam to its current location at Paruthikuzhy on March 22.
With the police being directed to ensure adequate protection for the outlet on the basis of a petition submitted by the Bevco at the Kerala High Court, a team led by Assistant Commissioner (Shanghumugham) A.R. Shanihan removed the agitation ‘pandal’ in the early hours of the day. The police also intervened to facilitate the reopening of the liquor outlet, triggering a minor clash with the agitators. As many as 43 protesters, including 15 women, were arrested and forcibly taken to the Armed Reserve (AR) camp at Nandavanam, allegedly for rioting and obstructing traffic on public road, among other charges. The agitators alleged that many devotees who were within the premises of a temple nearby were also taken into custody by the police.
As news of the police action spread, many prominent leaders including former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran, V.S. Sivakumar, T.N. Prathapan and V.T. Balram, MLAs, arrived at the AR camp and expressed solidarity with the protesters. They demanded that they be arrested if the police intended to get the agitators remanded. The protesters were later let off on bail by around 3 p.m. The police have currently put in place tight security near the liquor outlet.
In a statement, Mr. Sudheeran accused the police of creating a war-like situation and treating the protesters as enemies of the state. He also condemned the act of “unlawfully” detaining people from the temple premises. He called for a high-level probe against those officials who were responsible for alleged excess against the agitators.
The Madhya Virudha Samithi chairman V. Satheesan and general convener R. Biju said that they would intensify the agitation and also lay siege to the NH-66 bypass on June 30 to mark its 100th day. (EOM/SBG)