A wave of fervent protests swept across Kerala on Saturday, October 11, as both the Indian National Congress and its youth wing, the Youth Congress, intensified their demonstrations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. These widespread actions were a direct response to the alleged police assault on Shafi Parambil, the party’s working president and Vadakara MP, which reportedly occurred the previous evening in Perambra, Kozhikode.
In a striking display of dissent, Youth Congress activists in Chulli, near Mattanchery, staged a unique sit-in, symbolically staining their clothes black. Before the Chief Minister arrived to inaugurate the Mattanchery terminal of the Water Metro, police swiftly intervened, taking the protesters into custody and clearing the area.
Further demonstrations unfolded in Kochi, a city already under tight security. Congress members gathered at the Ro-Ro jetty in Fort Kochi to voice their opposition. Meanwhile, Youth Congress members attempted a dramatic interruption, trying to approach the Chief Minister’s convoy near St. Teresa’s College. In both instances, law enforcement responded promptly, detaining all involved protesters.
The city remained under an exceptionally high level of police surveillance throughout the day, a clear indication of the authorities’ anticipation of sustained and vigorous protests from the Congress party.