Contaminated Water Cannon Allegations Spark Heated Debate in Kerala Assembly
Kerala's opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan has alleged that police used contaminated water in cannons to disperse AISF and AIYF protesters. The Home Minister has ordered a laboratory test on the water samples, promising a report to the Assembly once the investigation is complete.
Highlights
- •Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan alleged police used contaminated water cannons during protests.
- •The protest was organized by AISF and AIYF against the PM SHRI scheme.
- •Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala stated the water was sourced from the Kerala Water Authority.
- •The state government has sent water samples for laboratory testing to investigate contamination claims.
A heated controversy erupted within the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday regarding the alleged use of contaminated water in police water cannons. Pinarayi Vijayan, the Leader of the Opposition and a former Chief Minister, brought the issue to the floor, asserting that the liquid deployed by law enforcement to manage recent protests against the PM SHRI scheme posed significant public health risks.
The dispute centers on a demonstration organized by the All India Students Federation of India (AISF) and the All India Youth Federation (AIYF). As protestors attempted to breach police barricades near the Assembly, security forces utilized water cannons as a crowd control measure. Pinarayi Vijayan argued that the water quality was substandard, suggesting it contained contaminants capable of causing serious illnesses, such as amoebic meningoencephalitis.
Legislative Debate on Contaminated Water Concerns
During his address in the House, Pinarayi Vijayan pressed the government for transparency, demanding to know why potentially hazardous water was utilized when cleaner alternatives were available. He emphasized that the situation warranted urgent attention given the broader discussions on public health occurring throughout the day in the Assembly. The opposition leader specifically called upon the Home Minister to provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the source and safety standards of the water employed by the police.
In response, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala defended the police action as a standard procedure used when protestors compromise security perimeters. He stated that the water used in these operations is sourced directly from the Kerala Water Authority. Addressing the serious health concerns raised by the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala acknowledged the gravity of the allegations and confirmed that instructions have been issued to the Commissioner for a thorough investigation.
The Home Minister further assured the Assembly that the water samples have been dispatched to a laboratory for professional testing. He pledged that once the findings are conclusive, the government will report the results back to the House to resolve the controversy surrounding the alleged contaminated water. This incident has reignited debates regarding crowd control methodologies and the safety protocols governing the use of force by state authorities against demonstrators in Kerala.
