Accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of using the police and CPI(M) workers to stifle democratic dissent, the Youth Congress ratcheted up its protest against the government on Friday.
Late on Friday, Youth Congress workers marched to the Chief Minister’s official residence at Cliff House here in protest against the arrest sans notice of its State president Rahul Mamkootathil. The police placed barricades nearly half a km from Cliff House to block the marchers.
Earlier, the police swung batons to disperse Youth Congress workers who marched to the District Collectorate in protest against Mr. Mamkootathil’s arrest. The Youth Congress accused the local police of grabbing a woman activist by her hair and dragging her through the road.
In Kottayam, the police discharged water cannons to thwart a Youth Congress march to the District Collector’s. Similar protests erupted in other district centres.
