Kerala: 3 Cong Workers Suspended for Threatening Vegetable Vendor For Donations

The vendor alleged that the party's workers damaged the weighing machine of the shop and destroyed vegetables.

The vendor paid Rs 500 but the party workers wanted Rs 2,000.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

As the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi resumed in Kerala's Kollam district on Friday, 16 September, a group of Congress workers threatening a local vegetable vendor over donation were suspended with immediate effect.

A vegetable vendor in Kerala's Kollam district was threatened by Congress workers after he refused to pay Rs 2,000 for the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

The vegetable vendor, in a police complaint, alleged that the party's workers damaged the weighing machine of the shop and destroyed vegetables, according to news agency ANI.

A case against the three workers has been registered under sections 447 (trespassing), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief, K Sudhakaran, said the three party workers, involved in an "unacceptable incident," have been suspended with immediate effect.

'These Workers Do Not Represent Our Ideology'

"They do not represent our ideology and such behaviour is inexcusable. The party is crowdfunding small donations voluntarily unlike others who get corporate donations," Sudhakaran tweeted.

The vendor told ANI that a group of Congress workers reached his shop and asked for donations for the party's ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra.' He paid Rs 500 but the party workers wanted Rs 2,000. They used abusive language and attacked his staff, he added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the KPCC has been doing crowdfunding for years.

"Their politics runs on small donations at the grassroots. But this should not have happened. These three were clearly fringe elements and exemplary action has been taken immediately by the PCC President," he said in a tweet.

'Party Will Not Tolerate Such Practices'

Admitting that the incident has taken the sheen off the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo' drive, Kollam District Congress Committee President P Rajendra Prasad said the party would not tolerate such practices.

"The trio were activists of the Mandalam Congress committee here. As their act brought embarrassment to the party and the leadership, we have acted swiftly with the consent of the AICC and the KPCC and suspended them immediately," he told PTI.

The mandalam committee, to which they belonged, was also dissolved, added Prasad.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)