On Thursday, a group of Congress workers gathered near the Stadium Bus Stand in Palakkad to stage a mock funeral for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protesters dragged a symbolic bier from the District Congress Committee office, erected a pyre, and poured the ashes into a toilet.
The act is part of a longstanding tradition of symbolic protests by the party. Earlier, Congress leaders condemned a mock funeral staged by the Students' Federation of India for the principal of Government Victoria College in Palakkad, calling it disrespectful to the nation.
Police detained several participants for violating public order. A spokesperson for the Block Congress Committee said the demonstration was a protest against alleged misuse of electoral power and a warning to authorities.
Local resident and shopkeeper V. Ramesh described the scene as ‘unprecedented’ and said the party’s frustration was evident. He added that the act might spark legal scrutiny against those involved.
The Election Commission has issued a statement condemning the protest and warned that participants could face criminal charges. The government is expected to review the incident in a meeting scheduled for next week.