A vegetable shop owner in Kerala’s Kollam district was allegedly attacked and threatened Friday by Congress workers who demanded he contribute ₹2,000 towards the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. S Fawaz told news agency he had given ₹500 but three party workers deemed it not enough; Fawaz claimed they vandalised his shop and spoiled his stock.
“A group of Congress workers reached the shop and asked for donations for ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. I gave ₹500 but they demanded ₹2,000. They damaged weighing machines and threw away vegetables. They also used abusive language and attacked the staff,” he said.
Congress leaders have been quick to respond, with K Suresh condemned the workers’ behaviour, calling it ‘inexcusable’. “Such behaviour is inexcusable. Party is crowdfunding small donations voluntarily unlike others who get corporate donations,” he tweeted
Congress state president K Sudhakaran said the attack was ‘unnacceptable’ and said that the party workers involved had been suspended.
“Three party workers involved in an unacceptable incident in Kollam have been suspended with immediate effect. They do not represent our ideology and such behaviour is inexcusable. The party is crowdfunding small donations voluntarily unlike others who get corporate donations,” he tweeted.
Fawaz, meanwhile, has lodged a complaint at the Kunnicode Police Station.
The Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ entered its eighth day Friday as party leaders – led by MP Rahul Gandhi – marched from Kollam. The 3,500-km yatra started in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and will end in Kashmir after covering 12 states over 150 days.