Tensions flared in Ettumanur on Saturday as a protest march organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the office of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan devolved into violent clashes with workers from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M).
Reports confirm that a total of 10 people sustained injuries during the incident, among them a police officer.
The BJP had initiated the march to demand the Minister’s resignation, citing allegations of gold misappropriation at the revered Sabarimala temple.
The demonstration, which began around 11 a.m. from Thavalakuzhy Junction, was initially halted by police barricades at Central Junction. As protestors attempted to breach the barriers and tensions escalated, law enforcement resorted to using water cannons to disperse the crowd.
The situation intensified further when CPI(M) workers launched their own protest march around 12:30 p.m., accusing BJP supporters of destroying their flags and flagpoles during the earlier demonstration. This counter-protest quickly led to a violent confrontation around noon, causing widespread panic among local residents.
BJP leaders have strongly condemned the actions of CPI(M) workers, alleging that they unprovokedly attacked women and children who were awaiting transportation after attending the march. “They assaulted a woman and her daughter and tore down our party flags. When we tried to intervene, eight of our members were injured and subsequently admitted to various hospitals, including the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam,” stated V.P. Mukesh, BJP Kottayam mandalam president.
Lijin Lal, BJP Kottayam West district president, further claimed that the CPI(M)’s aggressive response was fueled by their apprehension over the significantly larger turnout at the BJP march compared to a government-organized Ayyappa meet.
Conversely, Babu George, CPI(M) Ettumanoor area secretary, asserted that the violence began when a group of BJP activists attempted to disrupt their peaceful march, which was organized in response to earlier attacks on CPI(M) properties.