Hundreds of opposition activists protested outside the state parliament in Thiruvananthapuram city, as lawmakers inside the chamber flung computer keyboards and threw the speaker’s chair over a railing -- a rare note of discord in a state that is best known for its white sandy beaches and tranquil inland riverways.
Television images showed riot police wearing helmets and carrying batons and shields, pushing back protesters wearing the trademark red hats of the opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition outside the parliament building.