YC-BJP stand-off leads to showdown in Palakkad

The BJP-Youth Congress stand-off over a threat against Youth Congress State president Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, turned into a showdown between the Youth Congress workers and the police here on Wednesday.

Youth Congress workers took out a march to the BJP district committee office here, condemning the BJP’s threat against Mr. Mamkootathil. The BJP had said that the MLA would not be allowed to set foot in Palakkad.

Sandeep Varier, who defected from the BJP to the Congress a few months ago, inaugurated the march. He challenged the BJP workers to show if they had the guts to prevent Mr. Mamkootathil from working in Palakkad.

The police blocked the march, and arrested Mr. Varier. Youth Congress workers led by Mr. Mamkootathil staged a protest in front of the South Police Station here, condemning the action against Mr. Varier. The protestors staged a sit-in in front of the police station.

Earlier, BJP workers took out a march to Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil’s office here on Wednesday in protest against the statement that he would not allow an upcoming skill development centre for the differently abled to be named after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder K.B. Hedgewar.

The march began from Palakkad Fort and was blocked by the police in front of the MLA office. The police had to use force to disperse the marchers as the latter tried to jump over the barricade. The police also used water cannon.

Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, and Sandeep Warrier stage a sit-in in front of the Palakkad South police station on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah

BJP State secretary M.T. Ramesh inaugurated the march. Palakkad east president Prashant Shivan presided over the function. District general secretary A.K. Omanakuttan, State treasurer E. Krishnadas, senior leader N. Sivarajan, district vice presidents C. Madhu, T. Baby and K.M. Bindu, and district secretaries Ravi Adiyath, M. Surendran and N. Shanmughan spoke.

Mr. Omanakuttan threatened that the MLA would not be allowed to set foot in Palakkad. The BJP leader said that Mr. Mamkootathil’s “feet would not touch the ground with his head soaring in the clouds”.

Congress workers had prevented the foundation stone laying function for the skill development centre a few days ago.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mamkootathil accused the CPI(M) and the BJP of instilling harmful and negative ideas in temples in the State. “They are deliberately converting temples into centres of dispute,” he added.

He called upon the people to resist the attempts of the BJP and the CPI(M) to enter the temples with their “demonic ideas”. He said the CPI(M) was indirectly helping the BJP to lay its hands on temples.

Mr. Mamkootathil accused the CPI(M) of aiding communalist forces instead of fighting such forces. He asked the CPI(M) to withdraw from its move.

He said RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar was one of the fiercest communalists, and not a freedom fighter. He denied the BJP allegations that he had insulted the differently abled children by opposing the naming of the skill development centre for them after Hedgewar.

He said the BJP was issuing emotionally loaded statements as it could not take on the opposition politically. He reiterated that the skill development centre for the differently abled would not be allowed to be named after Hedgewar.