Bar bribery allegations: Youth Congress stages protest demanding resignation of two ministers

Thiruvananthapuram: Seeking the resignation of the Excise and Tourism ministers in connection with the bar bribery allegations, activists of the Youth Congress on Tuesday staged a protest march headed towards the state assembly building.

The march was blocked by the police near Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, where Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan addressed the protestors.

After Satheesan left the venue, the workers marched towards the assembly, but police tried to disperse them using water cannons.

Tension prevailed in the area when the 200-odd Youth Congress workers managed to forcefully remove the barricades on one occasion.

For over a month, the Congress has been raising corruption charges against the Pinarayi Vijayan government over its liquor policy, alleging that it was planning to amend it by accepting bribes from bar owners.

They raised the issue in the state assembly on Monday, the first day of the session, during zero hour, and demanded a discussion on the raging row.

The assembly witnessed a heated exchange between the ruling and opposition parties regarding the controversy.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has rejected the opposition’s demand in the assembly to register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act regarding the "amendment" of the state's liquor policy.

Members of the opposition UDF had raised placards and a banner criticising the CPI(M)-led government over the allegations and then boycotted the house proceedings.

They later demanded that a case be registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and called for the resignation of the Tourism Minister P A Muhammed Riyas and Excise Minister M B Rajesh in connection with the controversy.