SFI, Youth Congress replace damaged Kodiyeri Balakrishnan flex in Kollam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: New flex boards featuring former CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan have been installed in place of the one damaged by an SFI activist during a protest march in Kollam city. The boards were put up by the SFI and Youth Congress after the incident triggered controversy. The SFI installed a new flex at Chinnakkada and also filed a complaint with the Kollam East police seeking action against the person who damaged the earlier board.

Soon after the SFI installed the flex, the Youth Congress put up another one under the leadership of party leader Kuruvila Joseph. The board carries a caption stating that the Youth Congress had restored the Kodiyeri death anniversary flex damaged by SFI activists.

The SFI protest march began at SN College Junction this afternoon and reached Chinnakkada, where one of the protesters ran towards the flex board near the Head Post Office and damaged it. The person then returned to the march and continued raising slogans. The SFI district committee said it did not know the person who damaged the Kodiyeri flex and clarified that he was not an SFI member or part of any of its organisational units. The organisation said it would investigate how he joined the protest march.

The incident comes amid similar incidents involving political flex boards and flags in the area. Two days ago, Congress flex boards and flags in and around Chinnakkada were damaged during a BJP workers’ protest march. Congress boards were also damaged last night during the SFI protest march.