Thiruvananthapuram, June 30 (IANS) Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led administration in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, alleging that the violence and disorder witnessed in the civic body have become a disgrace to Kerala.

Joseph, who is also the State Electricity Minister, said the Corporation’s functioning had deteriorated further after the BJP assumed leadership of the civic body.

He alleged that the administration, which he claimed had already been thrown into disarray under the CPI(M), had worsened under the BJP, with repeated incidents of violence being reported from the council.

Referring to the altercation during the Corporation Council meeting on Monday, Joseph alleged that UDF Parliamentary Party leader K.S. Sabarinadhan was physically assaulted.

He also accused a BJP councillor of making derogatory remarks about Sabarinadhan’s late father, veteran Congress leader G. Karthikeyan.

Joseph further alleged that UDF women councillors S. Sherly and Anita Alex, who were attacked during the violence, sustained injuries.

Both are currently undergoing treatment in the hospital, he said.

“The councillors of the CPI(M) and the BJP behaved like street hooligans,” Joseph alleged, demanding that the police initiate stringent legal action against those responsible for the violence.

He accused the BJP and the Left of jointly neglecting the civic issues affecting residents of the capital city.

With the onset of the monsoon, he said, the city was facing an increase in diseases, waterlogging and other rain-related problems, while thousands of people were struggling even to meet their basic daily needs.

Instead of addressing these issues, Joseph alleged, the Corporation Council passed as many as 640 agenda items in just five minutes during its first meeting on Monday after a gap of 46 days, describing it as an example of gross irresponsibility.

The KPCC chief also alleged that the BJP had lowered its standards in its efforts to defend its own Councillor, a person booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), claiming the individual had been implicated in several criminal cases.

“The people are now witnessing the true face of the BJP after it assumed leadership of the Corporation,” Joseph said.

–IANS

sg/uk