Kerala Chief Minister is justifying brutal police assaults, says KPCC chief Sunny Joseph

The Congress on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) staged mass protests in front of police stations across the State to denounce the custodial assault on Youth Congress leader V.S. Sujith. The agitation demanded the immediate dismissal of the accused police officers, criminal prosecution, and fair compensation for the victim.

Launching the Statewide protest in front of the Kunnamkulam police station, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and MLA Sunny Joseph lashed out at the government, accusing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of justifying the inhuman and brutal police violence.

“The Pinarayi government refuses to give the culprits the punishment mandated by law. Even after the whole of Kerala watched the shocking visuals of Mr. Sujith’s torture, the only person who has not seen it is the Chief Minister,” the KPCC chief said in his inaugural address.

Mr. Joseph slammed the government for treating suspensions and transfers as mere eyewash. “Those who gang-beat an innocent youth are unfit to wear ‘khaki’ (police uniform). Instead of dismissing them, the government rewarded the officers with convenient postings. That is the reality of Pinarayi’s justice,” he charged.

‘Glorified assault’

“The Chief Minister had even glorified the police assault on the Youth Congress workers—carried out with helmets and flowerpots—by describing it as a ‘rescue operation’,” Mr. Joseph said. 

He also ridiculed the police reportedly offering ₹20 lakh to hush up the case. “Let them keep that offer. When Mr. Sujith win the case in the court against them, that amount can be used for paying the compensation,” he said.

The KPCC president also announced that block vice-president Varghese, who stood by Mr. Sujith and spearheaded the long legal battle, would be promoted to the District Congress Committee (DCC) executive.

Senior Congress leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala, Kodikunnil Suresh, M.M. Hassan, K. Muraleedharan, E.P. Anil Kumar, P.C. Vishnunadh, Shafi Parambil, United Democratic Front convener Adoor Prakash and others inaugurated similar protest gatherings in front of police stations across the State.

Congress leaders T.N. Prathapan, T. Siddique and Joseph Tajet participated in the protest in front of the Kunnamkulam police station. 

The Congress warned that the custodial torture case would be strongly raised in the Assembly until the guilty officers are dismissed and jailed.