(Special Report)
(By Mukundan CM)

Thiruvananthapuram, April 3 : The rally organised by Thiruvananthapuram District Committee of Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS) demanding erection of Dr. Ambedkar statue in front of Assembly complex turned violent this morning near the State Secretariate.

The rally, started from Vellayambalam to the Secretariate, was peaceful till it reached the Spencer Junction. Several government vehicles, shops, etc. were damaged. In the melee, some news photographers also sustained injuries. KPMS leaders were seen pacifying the angry rallyists.

After reaching the Secretariate, the rallyists burnt the effigies of Chief Minister E. K. Nayanar and Assembly Speaker M. Vijayakumar.

Later, inaugurating the protest Dharna in front of the Secretariate, KPMS President, Sasankan, recalled that the government had betrayed its promise given in 1997 to erect the statue in front of the new Assembly building. He warned that the agitation would further be intensified if the Government failed to erect the statue at the Assembly premises itself. He also demanded sanctioning more funds for the statue