Cong IUML criticise police for stopping Muslim outfit’s anti-drug awareness drive

Malappuram (Kerala), May 13 (PTI) The opposition Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have criticised the Kerala police for halting a recent "anti-drug awareness campaign" organised by a Muslim student outfit, citing that the event extended beyond the permissible time limit.

    Prominent leaders of both parties posted strongly worded statements on Facebook on Tuesday, criticising the police for intervening and stopping the programme, which was held in Perinthalmanna on Sunday night.
    The leaders also shared videos on social media showing police personnel arriving at the venue of the Kerala Students Conference, conducted by the Wisdom Islamic Students Organisation, and their brief arguments with the organisers.
    However, Perinthalmanna police stated on Tuesday that the event was not an anti-drug campaign, as claimed by the leaders, but rather a state summit of the respective outfit.
    The police said the event was permitted only until 10 pm, as per a High Court directive, and they had to intervene as the programme continued beyond that time.
    State Congress working president and MLA A P Anil Kumar, in a Facebook post, accused the police of deliberately attempting to create issues and tension in the area.
    Claiming that the event was an anti-drug awareness drive attended by thousands, he demanded clarification from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also holds the home portfolio, on the reasons behind the police intervention.
    He further alleged that the police action was “insulting,” especially at a time when DJ parties—where drugs allegedly flow freely—are conducted in the state without interruption.
    Noting that the police action could not be justified under any circumstances, he also called for a probe against the erring officers and demanded their suspension from service.
    Echoing similar sentiments, IUML veteran P K Kunhalikutty described the police action as an "act of intolerance".
    He said in a state where singing and dancing take place from dawn to dusk, the police's insistence that a welfare programme not be extended even by 10 minutes should be seen as "intolerance."
    Youth League general secretary P K Firoz also criticised the police in a Facebook post.
    However, a senior police officer refuted the allegations, stating that they had to intervene after organisers repeatedly ignored directions to conclude the programme by 10 pm.
    "We informed the organisers three or four times that the programme had to end by 10 pm, as per a High Court directive," he told PTI.
    He explained that there is a hospital and other important establishments in the area, and locals had already complained about the prolonged programme and the use of loud microphones.
    "As the organisers continued to ignore our instructions, we were forced to go to the venue and ask them to switch off the microphones and stop the programme," he said.
    The officer also rejected the organisers’ claim that the event was an anti-drug campaign.
    "It was the state summit of the respective organisation. Although it was presented as a students' conference, there were more elders than students in attendance," he added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)