Kochi: A protest rally organised by the Congress party against the fuel price hike in Kochi created chaos in the city, which led to a scuffle between Malayalam actor Joju George and protesters on Monday morning.
The Congress workers were staging their protest on Palarivattom-Vyttila bypass, which subsequently led to the vehicular traffic on the busy road to be thrown out of gear. The actor who arrived at the spot in his car raised his opposition on the blockade of the road by protesters. Following a scuffle, the protesters, broke the rear windshield of Joju’s car and vandalized the vehicle.
‘The motorists were blocked for the past two hours. A vehicle taking a child for cancer treatment was also caught in the blockade. As per the High Court order, roads could not be blocked in the state’, said Joju, while the Congress workers alleged that the actor was drunk and abused women protesters. The actor dismissed the allegation saying that he was ready for any medical examination. ‘I had not misbehaved to any Congress leaders or any workers. I have expressed my protest saying that this kind of agitation was against the people,” he said adding that no party should conduct this kind of protest by putting the public in trouble’, Joju added.
Later, the police took the actor to Tripunithura police station, and he underwent a medical examination at Taluk Hospital, Tripunithura. Kochi deputy commissioner of police Aishwarya Dongre said appropriate action will be initiated after examining photographs and videographs. ‘Investigation is on, and the police are examining the videos captured from the protest venue’, she said.
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Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden said Congress cannot stop the protest just because of Joju’s opposition. ‘Neither state not union government are reducing the tax’, he added. Around 1,500 vehicles took part in the rally on the stretch between Vyttila and Edappally for almost one and an half hour, and led to huge traffic block. Congress was forced to stop the rally due to objections from the common people.
Meanwhile, State Congress Chief K Sudhakaran termed actor Joju as a ‘criminal’ who behaved like a goon. He claimed that Joju misbehaved to the Youth Congress leaders including women at Vyttila bypass in Kochi. He further warned the LDF Government that depending on the outcome of the police action the Congress will intensify its protest. ‘Joju George acted as a criminal. His car was attacked following public fury. If the police don’t take appropriate action against Joju George, the Congress will hold strong protests’, Sudhakaran said.
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