Even as protest is mounting against the arrest of three CPI local leaders in Alappuzha for displaying a poster criticizing CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan came out in defense of the police.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Vijayan justified police action and accused that the arrested had ulterior motives, including creating issues in society and tarnish the image of a decent leader. To repeated queries whether using extreme steps such as arrest in such cases is justified, Vijayan replied that the Alappuzha incident needed to be treated differently from other such incidents.