Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan berated IndiGo airline’s decision to impose a ban on senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan and accused the airline of failing to ensure passengers’ protection.
Meanwhile, former MLA and Congress leader K S Sabarinadhan was arrested on Tuesday on charges of hatching a conspiracy to endanger the life of the chief minister inside an aircraft. Congress leaders alleged that Sabarinadhan’s arrest was one more example of Pinarayi government’s vindictive action and misuse of the police.
On a June 13 IndiGo flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram, two Youth Congress workers staged a protest against the chief Minister. Jayarajan, who was in the flight, shoved the two Youth Congress workers. IndiGo imposed a three-week ban on the former minister, while the Youth Congress men were given only a two-week ban.
In the Assembly on Tuesday, the chief minister said that Jayarajan had tried to stop the Youth Congress workers who had lunged at the chief minister. “As per the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, there was protection for action taken in good faith. Hence action against those who tried to prevent protesters had no grounds," Vijayan said in reply to a submission of opposition leader V D Satheesan.
Sabarinadhan was summoned by the police on Tuesday to record his statement in the attempt to murder and conspiracy case registered in connection with the incident in the flight. Subsequently, he was arrested. Youth Congress workers in large numbers gathered in front of the police station and staged a protest.
Sabarinadhan said that it was due to Pinarayi’s cowardliness that murder attempt charges were initiated for staging a peaceful protest.
The key evidence that the police have against Sabarinadhan was a chat in a social media group of Youth Congress activists, in which he suggested a protest against the chief minister inside a flight. The protest was in connection with allegations raised by UAE consulate smuggling accused Swapna Suresh against Pinarayi.