Goonda Act mooted against Congress workers who staged protest against Kerala CM

A move by Kerala police to invoke Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA), popularly known as Goonda Act, against a Youth Congress worker who staged a protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inside a flight has triggered strong protest from the Congress leadership.

Kannur city police recommended to the Kannur-range DIG to invoke the provision of KAAPA prohibiting entry to the district against Youth Congress block president Farzin Majeed citing that he was involved in over ten cases and as many as four were of serious nature, including the murder attempt case registered in connection with a protest staged against the Chief Minister in a flight.

Congress leaders strongly reacted to the move. Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that Pinarayi Vijayan was trying to impose a dictatorship. He asked why Goonda Act was not invoked against CPM's student leaders who were involved in many serious cases, whereas most cases against the Youth Congress leader pertained to Covid protocol violations.

Also Read | Youth Congress workers protest against Kerala CM inside flight, detained

Police sources said that a decision on invoking KAAPA against the Youth Congress leader would be taken only after hearing him.

Farzin and Youth Congress Kannur district secretary Naveen Kumar shouted slogans against the Chief Minister inside an Indigo flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram after the flight landed in Thiruvananthapuram on June 13. CPM leader E P Jayarajan, who was also on the flight, pushed down the two and the two were allegedly manhandled by CM's personal staff members. But the police registered an attempt to murder case against the Youth Congress leader, which also invited criticism.

The CPM also faced embarrassment as Indigo Airlines imposed a three-week ban on Jayarajan, while only a two-week ban was imposed on the Youth Congress workers.