Thiruvananthapuram: What began as a local Congress programme to mark Sree Narayana Guru’s birth anniversary took an unexpected turn on Friday evening after party leader Anil Kumar, popularly known as Chenthi Ani, was arrested following a heated confrontation with Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
The incident happened at Chenthi in Thiruvananthapuram while Satheesan was on his way to Chempazhanthy to attend an official programme marking the birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru.
According to police, Ani and others stopped the Chief Minister’s convoy at Chenthi. Satheesan then got out of his vehicle and spoke to those gathered at the spot. Videos of the incident show a visibly tense exchange between the Chief Minister and Ani.
Police later registered a case against Ani and others. The FIR includes Sections 126(2), 351(2) and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation and using force against a public servant while carrying out official duties.
Ani was taken into custody and subsequently arrested. Police are also examining video footage to establish what exactly happened and to identify the role of others who were present at the scene.
The controversy, however, is not simply about the confrontation. It has also exposed tensions within the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram.
The group at Chenthi had organised its own Sree Narayana Guru programme and wanted Satheesan to attend. The Chief Minister’s side said the event was not part of his official schedule and that he had already been scheduled to attend the programme at Chempazhanthy.
Health Minister K Muraleedharan said Satheesan had decided not to attend the Chenthi event after receiving an Intelligence report.
Ani and some Congress workers have disputed the police version of events. They have maintained that the gathering was organised to welcome the Chief Minister and not to block his convoy. Ani has also alleged that internal factional politics in the Congress may have contributed to the controversy.
The Congress has since suspended Ani from its primary membership.
Senior Congress leaders, meanwhile, have said that the law should take its course if anyone is found to have crossed the line.
With police continuing their investigation and more video evidence being examined, the Chenthi incident has quickly grown from a local party dispute into a politically sensitive controversy for the Congress in Kerala.
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