The Palakkad municipality and the BJP party has involved itself in yet another controversy over their party flag draped on a Mahatma Gandhi bust in the compound on Monday morning. While the perpetrators are unknown, the police started an inquiry after removing the flag.
The incident has invited sharp criticism from the CPM, Congress and their youth wings, and it follows the election victory incident. Today, the DYFI had garlanded the bust, while KSU and Youth Congress organised a demonstration in the city. The CPM and Congress councillors staged a sit-in protest demanding the Municipal Chairperson K Priya Ajayan to start an inquiry into the issue and to book everyone responsible.
As the BJP has denied allegations, the senior members told reporters that “certain anti-social elements are behind the incident” and they have started an inquiry into the same. Meanwhile, other political activists believe that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is trying to further their “dangerous political ideologies” hiding behind the BJP authority in the Municipality.
On December, BJP had celebrated their local body election victory at the Palakkad Municipality by unfurling a ‘Jai Sreeram’ banner on the building. The critics had termed it unconstitutional and the DYFI had followed it with a march the next day where they unfurled the Indian tricolour. Palakkad is one of two Municipalities they captured in the local polls via a simple 28-seat majority in 52-member council.
