Protests on back-burner as Congress leaders gather in Delhi for different poster

Even as UAE consulate gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh continues making allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and demands CBI inquiry, protests against the CM by the Congress seems to have petered out over the past few years.

Congress party leaders were seen camping in the national capital to participate in the demonstrations against the Enforcement Directorate’s action against Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi, and against the new army recruitment scheme Agnipath.

Sources said that the Congress had not completely withdrawn the agitations against Pinarayi and that they will resume them once the leaders are back in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the chief minister himself had kept away from the public, citing health issues.

Suresh sent on Tuesday a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging that a CBI investigation must be ordered into Kerala Chief Minister’s Office’s role in the UAE consulate-linked smuggling case. Suresh, who even sought permission to meet PM Modi, said her life was in danger after she gave a statement in court about the Chief Minister's involvement in the smuggling.

Kerala had witnessed aggressive agitation by the Congress against Pinarayi over the last several days after Suresh raised smuggling and favouritism allegations against him and his family members. Youth Congress workers even staged a protest against the Chief Minister in a flight and had shown black flags at him in various parts of the state despite heavy police security cover to him.

However, by the end of last week the agitations were scaled down as Congress leaders went to Delhi to join the demonstration against ED.