No Police Security Lapse in BJP Protest: Keralam Minister KM Shaji

Kochi: Keralam minister K M Shaji on Friday denied any police security lapse after BJP workers stopped his vehicle in Thiruvananthapuram, forcing him to walk along the road.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when BJP workers blocked the minister’s official vehicle and raised slogans while sitting in front of it at Vanross Junction in the state capital.

When Shaji got out of the vehicle and attempted to get into an autorickshaw, the protesters blocked that vehicle as well, prompting him to walk along the road before other vehicles arrived to pick him up.

The BJP has been blocking the vehicles of Keralam ministers and waving black flags at them following a similar protest by Youth Congress workers against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kollam last week.

Speaking to reporters about the incident, Shaji said there was no security lapse as he had left his office earlier than scheduled.

“I don’t think there was such a problem. I left my office about half an hour earlier than the planned time. I left suddenly. At that time, my gunman asked me if he should call the police. I said, ‘No, that’s not needed; let’s go,’ because I had some people waiting for me at home,” he said.

The Local Self-Government Department minister said the incident occurred because he had left the office earlier than scheduled.

“Honestly, it wasn’t any lapse on the police’s part. To be completely honest, that was the time I left the office, and I didn’t give the police time to arrive. That’s how it happened. There were no other issues, and the protesters didn’t create much trouble either,” he said.

On Thursday, Cantonment Police registered a case against five BJP workers under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering offences including unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint and assault or use of criminal force against a public servant.

Police registered the case on their own after Shaji declined to file a complaint, officials said.