Thiruvananthapuram | Police on Monday used water cannons against CPI student and youth activists protesting outside the Kerala Assembly against the PM SHRI scheme while former minister and party MLA K Rajan was addressing the gathering.

The protest was organised by the All India Students' Federation and the All India Youth Federation, both affiliated with the CPI, demanding that the state government withdraw from the Prime Minister Schools for Rising India scheme.

The previous LDF government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the union government for the implementation of the scheme.

However, it was later put on hold following protests by the CPI and opposition parties.

The UDF, which had campaigned against the CPI(M) over the PM SHRI issue while in the opposition, maintains that the agreement cannot be withdrawn because the previous government had signed it and received funds under the scheme.

AISF and AIYF activists marched towards the Assembly complex but were stopped by the police after barricades were erected near the venue.

At the time, the Assembly was in session and discussing the state budget. However, the protesters remained at the spot, raised slogans, and refused to disperse.

Rajan later reached the protest venue and was addressing the activists when the police used water cannons.

"The protest was peaceful. Despite that, water cannons were used twice. Dirty water was used for the purpose. Such an act is not even carried out against criminals," Rajan told reporters.

He said he had arrived at the venue when the protesters were holding a peaceful sit-in demonstration.

"As I was speaking to the comrades and asking them to disperse peacefully, the police used water cannons without considering that I am the CPI leader in the Assembly. We strongly condemn this action and do not take it lightly," he said.

The CPI had staged protests even when it was part of the LDF government that signed the PM SHRI MoU.

The party has decided to continue its agitation against the UDF government until the PM SHRI agreement is withdrawn, party leaders said.