Kerala Congress’ protest march turns violent as police use water cannons to disperse crowds

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 23 (ANI): The Congress on Saturday staged a protest march to the DGP office against the recent alleged police action on youth Congress workers in connection with the Pinarayi Vijayan government's programme mass outreach programme 'Nava Kerala Sadasu'
However, the protest turned violent as the police used water cannons to disperse throngs.

"It was a shocking experience today... I was personally a witness to the brazenness of their contempt for democracy and human rights. There was a very peaceful protest going on... Suddenly without any provocation, a tear gas shell explodes just behind the stage and a water canon is fired... We don't understand why, there's been no provocation at all, and no warning has been issued... I immediately called the DGP and protested in the strongest language," said Congress MP Shashi Tharoor while speaking to ANI.

"It was a criminal act... This happened without any provocation, without any warning... Kerala is witnessing the rule of the lawless who have been given full freedom to assault the law-abiding... I'm also going to take it up with the Speaker of the Parliament because the parliamentary privileges of half a dozen MPs on the stage were violated," he added.
Nava Kerala Sadasu is an outreach programme of the government, where the chief minister and ministers will be travelling through all assembly constituencies of the state. (ANI)