Kozhikode, 27 Sept(H.S.):

Yuva Morcha activists waved black flags at Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi at two locations in Kozhikode district on Sunday, a day after Youth Congress workers protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kollam.

The first protest occurred near Janakikadu in the Kuttiady area as Chennithala travelled to public programmes in the district. Activists approached his convoy on a narrow road and held up black flags. Police intervened, arrested the protesters and cleared the route.

Another group gathered near Thambalamanna in Thiruvambady, where Priyanka Gandhi’s convoy was due to pass. The activists moved towards the road with black flags as her vehicles approached, despite the presence of Central Reserve Police Force personnel and Kerala police in her security escort.

Thiruvambady police arrested several protesters, including Yuva Morcha district president V V Sreehari and general secretary Nithin Madhusoodanan. Police at both protest sites moved the activists away from the convoys.

The demonstrations followed a protest by Youth Congress workers who showed black flags to Shah during his visit to Kollam on Saturday. The BJP alleged that the incident revealed a serious lapse in the Union minister’s security. Yuva Morcha said its actions against Congress leaders were a response.

The organisation has indicated that it will continue demonstrations against Congress leaders in the coming days. Its members had earlier shown black flags to the convoy of Kerala minister K Muraleedharan in Kollam.

Sunday’s protests brought the dispute to two parts of Kozhikode district. In both cases, activists waited along a leader’s route before stepping forward as the convoy arrived. Police arrested protesters at the scene, while the BJP and Congress remained at odds over the black flag demonstration against Shah.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman