Kerala Assembly Witnesses Uproar Over Alleged Use Of Dirty Water In Protest
Kerala Assembly sees uproar over alleged dirty water use during protest.
A political controversy erupted in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 22 after allegations surfaced that polluted water was used by police during a recent protest dispersal involving student and youth organisations opposing the PM SHRI scheme.
The issue was raised in the House by Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, who claimed that water used in a police water cannon during the AIYF-AISF protest march was contaminated and could pose serious health risks. He presented a bottle allegedly containing the same water and demanded a detailed explanation from the government, calling the matter a serious public health concern.
The protest took place near Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, where demonstrators attempted to breach police barricades, prompting authorities to deploy water cannons to disperse the crowd. Several protesters later alleged that they experienced skin irritation after being sprayed and questioned the quality and source of the water used in the operation.
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Responding to the allegations, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala stated that there was no deliberate use of contaminated water by the police. He explained that water cannons are typically filled using supply from the Water Authority and suggested that discoloration could have resulted from rust or residue in older tanks. He added that the water sample would be sent for laboratory testing and that an inquiry had been ordered.
CPI leader K. Rajan, who participated in the protest march, also raised concerns, alleging that the water used caused visible effects, including changes in clothing colour among some women protesters. However, authorities maintained that claims of contamination were unverified and subject to investigation.
The Speaker of the Assembly noted that the matter would be considered further once laboratory reports are available. The incident has since escalated into a broader political debate, shifting attention from the original protest over the PM SHRI scheme to questions regarding police methods and crowd-control practices in the state.
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