BJP calls dawn-to-dusk hartal in Neyyattinkara today

Thiruvananthapuram: Around 10 party workers and four policemen were injured when a BJP-Yuva Morcha protest march to the municipality office in Neyyattinkara turned violent on Wednesday.
The march was taken out in the wake allegations of corruption against the LDF-led ruling council related to a bar hotel and a hollow bricks factory.

BJP has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Neyyatinkara on Thursday.

BJP councillors have been on indefinite strike for a week demanding a vigilance probe against president W R Heeba, after it was alleged that a bar owner had bribed a few members of the ruling council for an exception to a bar hotel so that it could get licence from the excise department.

The BJP councillors said the ruling council had colluded with bar owner to relax a norm that mandated specific distance from educational institution for a bar to function.

Although the council brought the agenda to lock a gate and block a path leading to a school citing safety of students, it was soon evident that they were trying to protect the interests of the bar hotel, it was alleged. Although the agenda had mentioned locking the gate, the council decided to build a wall and permanently block the path, which also created a rift even among the ruling council members, a BJP councillor said.

Police have registered case against around 20 Yuva Morcha activists after the march turned violent. Four cops suffered injuries after being hit with flag poles and were admitted to the taluk hospital. The injured Yuva Morcha activists were admitted to medical college hospital.

BJP councillors alleged that the police had attacked them without provocation.