A political controversy arose in the Kerala Assembly when Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan displayed a bottle containing water from a police water cannon used during a protest march. The march, involving CPI leader K. Rajan MLA and activists, faced water cannon action near Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium after clashes with the police. Some protesters complained of itching post the water cannon use, raising concerns about the source of the water.
Vijayan accused the government of using highly contaminated water, potentially causing severe health issues like amoebic meningoencephalitis, against the demonstrators. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation amidst ongoing health discussions in Kerala and demanded a comprehensive explanation from Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. Chennithala clarified that the water cannons are typically filled from the Water Authority supply and suggested that discoloration might have been due to rust or deposits in an old tanker.
CPI leader K. Rajan, who led the march, criticized the use of water cannons, stating that the water quality was unacceptable. He highlighted instances where the water caused changes in the color of protesters’ clothes. The Speaker indicated that further investigation would occur after the laboratory test results were available, shifting the political focus to police control methods during demonstrations.
