Probe underway into throwing of Gandhi picture on the ground: Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 5 (ANI): After a complaint was made to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over Mahatma Gandhi's picture thrown on the ground, the state chief said in the legislative assembly that a police investigation was underway in the matter.
Responding to the submission notice of MLA V. Joy, he said, "The police are investigating the incident in which Gandhi's picture was thrown on the floor on the day when Rahul Gandhi MP's office was attacked in Wayanad."
On Friday, visuals emerged of protestors allegedly belonging to the Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists, the student's wing of the ruling CPI(M) entering the office of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad and vandalising it.
Several videos went viral on social media which showed those angry SFI protesters entering the office, in a brawl which later turned violent.
Kalpetta police registered a case crime no 534/22 and based on the statement of an employee of MP's office, another case was also registered as crime no 535/22.
"During the investigation of this case, on 24.6.2022 all the workers who trespassed in the MP's office were expelled from the office around 3.54 pm. After that around 4.04 pm. A police department photographer captured the footage of the scene and the police received a statement that Mahatma Gandhi's photograph was there at that time," he added.
He also stressed that the media aired the incident through TV channels and said, "Malayalam channels including Mathrubhumi recorded the video at the same time and aired this through TV channels."
He also informed that after SFI students were expelled from the MP's office, Congress workers were present in the office and almost after 25 minutes the photograph was seen lying down on the floor.
"Then at 4.29 in the evening, while taking a second photograph, the picture of Mahatma Gandhi was found lying on the floor and the glass was broken inside the MP's office," informed CM.
Earlier, the Students Federation of India (SFI) on Sunday decided to dissolve its Wayanad district committee in connection with the vandalism of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's office allegedly by some of its activists.
In a Facebook post, the state committee said that in a meeting held in Thrissur during the day a decision was taken to dissolve the Wayanad district committee and form a seven-member ad-hoc committee as an interim measure.
The Facebook post further said the action was taken as the Wayanad district committee on June 25 organised a march to the Congress MP's office without the knowledge of the state committee and the protest had turned aggressive in a manner which brought shame upon the entire organisation before the public.
Eldos Mathai, presently the district joint secretary of SFI, would be the convener of the seven-member ad-hoc committee, the post said.
After visiting his MP office in Kerala's Wayanad, which was vandalised by CPI(M)'s student wing SFI last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday said the incident was unfortunate but he does not have any hostility or anger over it.
Rahul, who reached Wayanad Friday for a three-day tour in the constituency, visited the vandalised office at Kalpetta, headquarters of Wayanad district.
"This is my office. But before being my office, this is the office of the people of Wayanad. It is quite unfortunate that the office has been attacked. Violence will never resolve problems. It is not good that they have acted in an irresponsible manner. I don't have any anger or hostility towards them. They are kids and they don't understand the consequences of their act," he said without referring to either SFI or CPI(M). (ANI)