Bid to block Mayor leads to scuffle

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 6. A tense situation prevailed at the City Corporation office for hours today after employees owing allegiance to the Congress staff union tried to block the Mayor, Ms. J. Chandra, resulting in a scuffle with LDF workers.

The buildup to the flash point started in the morning after employees affiliated to the Kerala Municipal and Corporation Staff Association (KMCSA) (Congress raised a protest against the Mayor accusing her of interfering in the posting of staff to circles and zonal offices.

By noon, they barged into the Mayor's office and threatened her. The protesters also banged on the table and threw chairs.

The Mayor's personal staff who rushed in on hearing the commotion were reportedly manhandled by the union workers and pushed out. Two of the protesters were later suspended by the Mayor for unruly behaviour.

By evening, the Mayor convened a press conference to explain her point of view on the issue. Coming out of the hall after talking to presspersons, she found her way blocked by the KMCSA workers squatting on the ground.

One of the employees allegedly tried to pull her down by tugging at her legs. Ms. Chandra retired to her room with the help of LDF councillors accompanying her.

By this time, LDF workers and district leaders converged at the office demanding the arrest of the employees who had tried to assault the Mayor.

With the rival unions raising slogans against each other in front of the Mayor's office, the situation threatened to get out of control. Ms. Chandra said the Commissioner of Police had asked for a written complaint when she sought the arrest of the protesters.

A police force led by the Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Wilson Joseph, arrived just in time to prevent a clash but in the melee, the Congress workers who were heavily outnumbered, fled the scene.

Irate LDF workers confronted police officers, taunting them for allowing the protesters to leave without being arrested.

A few Congress workers who found themselves isolated inside the office premises were pushed around and forced to take to their heels by LDF activists who had worked themselves up into a frenzy.

The situation calmed down following the intervention of the former Mayor, Mr. V. Sivankutty, and the LDF district leaders, Mr. Suseelan, Mr. Jayan Babu and Mr. Kadakampally Surendran.

The leaders accused the police of political prejudice in handling the situation.

Later, the LDF activists took out a march to the Police Commissioner's office. Senior police officials said they had taken a suo moto case against 25 Corporation employees who had blocked the Mayor.

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6-hour hartal in city today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 6. The LDF district committee has decided to observe a six-hour hartal in the city from 6 a.m. to protest the failure to arrest the Congress workers who had assaulted the Mayor.

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Section  : Southern States
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