In a shocking incident, the Kerala Police has registered a case against a few BJP workers for allegedly unfurling a giant banner which read ”Jai Sri Ram” on the terrace of the Palakkad municipal corporation building. The banner was put up after the BJP retained the municipality after winning 28 of the 52 wards.
The case was registered after the Palakkad municipal secretary filed a complaint with the police saying that “there was an attempt to destroy communal harmony”, news agency PTI reported.
A video of the incident has reportedly gone viral on social media. In the video, BJP workers can be seen carrying the banner with ‘Jai Sri Ram’ written on it. Another banner with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also seen.
“The special branch deputy superintendent has been asked to file a report with regard to the incident,” district police chief Sujithdas S told PTI.
In 2015, the BJP came to power in Palakkad municipality for the first time. In the recently concluded local body elections, the party again came back to power with a full majority. The BJP also won Pandalam municipality in Pathanamthitta district.
Following the incident, District Congress Committee president VK Sreekantan said the actions of the workers were illegal. “A case has to be registered against those involved,” he said, according to The New Indian Express. “The banners exhibited communal content. If the police hadn’t registered a case because of a lack of complaint, the Congress has lodged one with the district police chief on Thursday.”
