Thiruvananthapuram, June 22 (IANS) A political row erupted in the Kerala Assembly on Monday after Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan brought a bottle containing the alleged water used in the police water cannon during the AIYF-AISF protest march, accusing the government of using polluted water against demonstrators.
The protest march against the government’s stand on the PM SHRI scheme, in which CPI leader K. Rajan MLA and other activists participated, saw police deploying water cannons near Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium after protesters attempted to cross barricades.
Some protesters claimed they developed itching after the water cannon was used and questioned whether the water had been drawn from an unclean source.
Raising the issue in the Assembly, Vijayan alleged that highly contaminated water capable of causing serious health issues, including amoebic meningoencephalitis, was used against the protesters. “This is not the normal method of using a water cannon. At a time when Kerala is discussing health concerns, this has to be taken seriously,” he said, demanding a detailed response from Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.
Chennithala said there was no deliberate attempt to use polluted water and explained that water cannons are filled using the Water Authority supply. He added that discolouration could have occurred due to deposits or rust in an old tanker. “The water sample will be sent for laboratory examination. The Commissioner has been asked to look into the matter,” the Home Minister said, adding that corrective steps would be taken if any lapse was found.
CPI leader K. Rajan, who inaugurated the march, said protesters were not afraid of water cannons but alleged that the water used against them was unacceptable. He claimed that even the colour of the clothes worn by some women protesters changed after the spraying.
The Speaker said the issue could be examined further after the laboratory test results were available.
The controversy has now shifted the political focus from the PM SHRI protest to allegations over the methods used by police to control demonstrations.
–IANS
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