Sudhakaran seeks privilege proceedings against Kerala police, writes to LS Speaker

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief and Parliamentarian K Sudhakaran on Saturday gave a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking permission to move a breach of privilege against Kerala police in connection with a DGP office march turning violent incident here.

In the letter, the Kannur MP alleged breach of privilege and targeted assault on his life and his fellow members of Parliament during the march organised by the Congress this morning.

The senior leader charged in the letter that the "heinous breach of privilege" was orchestrated by the Kerala police under the "explicit directives" of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Sudhakaran sent the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker hours after he and many other leaders suffered uneasiness about the use of tear gas shells at the protesters by police personnel.

In the letter, he said police "callously unleashed a potent barrage of tear gas directly at the stage", endangering the lives of all present there.

He further alleged that the intensity of the attack left him grappling with severe breathing difficulties, rendering him unconscious and necessitating immediate hospitalisation.

The MP pointed out that this brutal act was a blatant violation of his Parliamentary privilege.

"Pinarayi Vijayan's audacious intent to employ police force to physically target me not only infringes upon my human rights but also undermines our sacrosanct democratic right to engage in peaceful protest, a right I hold as a solemn duty to represent the voice of my people," Sudhakaran said in the letter.

The deployed tear gas, egregiously surpassing standard police-issued measures, serves as a stark testament to the severity of this breach, he said.

"In light of these alarming events, I implore your immediate intervention to conduct a thorough investigation, with a specific focus on the targeted attack on my life," the leader added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor said he would also soon write to the Lok Sabha Speaker about the breach of privilege of MPs during the protest event.

Soon after the blasting of tear gas shells near the opposition protest venue, Tharoor told reporters that the incident happened when senior MLAs and MPs of the party were present there, and it was suspected of a deliberate attack.

In a Facebook post, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said that he was one of the hundreds of victims of a completely 'unjustified and wanton attack' by Kerala police using the highest-grade tear-gas and water cannons against a peaceful protest rally.

He said the rally was organised after obtaining all permissions and the tear-gas shells were fired without provocation or warning.

Tharoor said that he spoke to the DGP in the "strongest possible terms" protesting the behaviour of his subordinates and the police chief promised a full inquiry.

"But the firing of tear-gas shells against the stage, which was being occupied by a number of senior people's representatives, MPs and MLAs, will also attract a severe case of violation of Parliamentary privileges and immunities," he further said.

Alleging that Kerala has descended into the rule of the lawless, who have been given full freedom to assault the law-abiding, he said that the CM has to be accountable for this assault.

A protest march by the opposition Congress towards the Kerala DGP office here today turned violent with agitators hurling stones and sticks at the police, following which water cannons were used to disperse the crowd.

The march was organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee alleging police atrocities against its workers during their agitation over the ongoing 'Nava Kerala Sadas' outreach programme of the Left government.

Senior leaders including Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala, Tharoor, Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan and others were present on the makeshift stage near the DGP office when the police used tear gas and water cannons.

Sudhakaran and Chennithala were visibly affected by the tear gas used by the police and were escorted by the Congress workers to an available car nearby.

Both the leaders have been taken to a nearby hospital for necessary treatment.