"Under CM Vijayan's rule, Kerala becoming a gangster state": LoP VD Satheesan

Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], November 21 : The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly VD Satheesan came down heavily on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday after the CM lauded the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), for confronting Youth Congress protesters waving black flags at his motorcade.
Speaking on the incident, the Congress leader said, "There were eight young people--youth Congress and KSU people. They peacefully protested by waving black flags. The Chief Minister's security team and criminals of the CPM severely attacked all these people. Today, CM justified the criminal activity of the CPM. Under the leadership of Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala is becoming a gangster state."
Drawing parallels with the 2011 CPM rule in Bengal, Satheesan said that the Kerala CPM led by CM Vijayan is following the same trail.
"What has happened at the fag end of the CPM rule, CPM dispensation in Bengal that is what is happening in Kerala also. He is leading the CPM in Kerala to a tragic situation. When he was party secretary, he used to send criminals to kill the political enemies, to attack the political enemies. Now he forgot he is sitting in the chair of CM, he is still showing the same mindset. So Kerala is under the rule of a gangster. Entire Kerala is becoming a gangster state," he said.
He added, "If they are trying to suppress our agitations or peaceful protest using criminals and police criminals, then we, the leaders of the UDF, will come forward and take this protest."
Further, emphasizing the economic situation in the state, the LoP accused the state government of misusing the official machinery to promote its public outreach programme 'Nava Kerala Sadas',
"Under the leadership of Kerala CM, the govt, at the expense of the public, is conducting an election campaign. Unfortunately, the govt is misusing the entire official machinery to make this program a success. In Kerala, the situation is very different. Kerala is going through a very huge fiscal crisis that Kerala has ever seen. There are so many debts to the government. All welfare schemes and developmental programs have been stagnant. There is no money in the treasury. That is the situation," Satheesan said.
Earlier on Monday, a fracas ensued on Monday after Youth Congress workers were allegedly beaten up for showing black flags at the motorcade of CM Vijayan at Pazhayangadi, Eripuram.
Vijayan was visiting his home district as part of Navkerala Sadas, an outreach programme of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) when he was shown black flags by Young Congress members.
The protesting cadre of the Congress youth wing claimed that they were intercepted by DYFI members, resulting in a scuffle.
The injured workers were subsequently admitted to a private hospital in Thaliparam.
Simultaneously, several leaders of the KSU and Youth Congress were taken into preventive custody ahead of the chief minister's 'Nava Kerala Yatra'.
Weighing in on the black flag protest and the attack on Youth Congress members that followed, CM Vijayan claimed that it wasn't merely a protest but an attack on his motorcade.
The CM also came out in praise of members of the party's youth wing, DYFI, for confronting Youth Congress protesters waving black flags at his motorcade in Pazhayangadi.