Kerla RSS activist murder: BJP has called for a statewide shutdown on Sunday after the murder of Rajesh. (Source:Twitter/@Kummanam)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressing concern over the law and order situation in the state including the rise in cases of political violence. Rajnath Singh also urged the Chief Minister to ensure that the situation is normalised soon and that action is taken against the culprits.
“Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinrayi Vijayan today regarding the recent incidents of political violence in the state. I have expressed my concern with the law and order situation in the state of Kerala. Political violence is unacceptable in a democracy. I expect that the political violence in Kerala is curbed and that the perpetrators are brought to justice expeditiously,” the Home Minister tweeted.
His remarks come a day after the murder of an RSS activist in Thiruvanathapuram. Eight suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the case by the police.
Read: Kerala bandh: BJP to protest against murder of RSS activist. Click here
However, the state unit of BJP, which alleged that CPI (M) activists were behind the murder, announced a statewide shutdown on Sunday. “The CPI-M led government has become a mute witness to the violence going on in the state capital district. Even our state party headquarters was attacked. But we exercised restraint. But now, we are left with no other option but to call for a statewide shutdown tomorrow (Sunday) to protest the killing (of Rajesh). The state government has not even called for a peace talk to resolve issues,” State BJP President Kummanem Rajasekheran was quoted as saying.
CPI (M) has, however, denied any wrongdoing. “There were some local issues in the area and in this incident, the CPI-M has no role,” Thiruvananthapuram district CPI-M Secretary Anavoor Nagappan said in a statement last night.
E. Rajesh, who was a “Karyavahak” attached to the RSS unit, was attacked by four suspected youth wing activists of the CPI-M. Rajesh suffered severe injuries and his left palm was also severed and thrown away, according to the BJP. He was rushed to a private hospital where he later succumbed to injuries.
City police is maintaining a strict vigil and has extended prohibitory orders for three more days till August 2. The police has also banned processions in the state capital in order to clamp down on the increasing violent clashes between both the parties. The orders were first issued after BJP’s state committee office was stoned and the house of CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son Bineesh Kodiyeri was attacked earlier this week.
The State Police Chief said, the Police forces have been instructed to strictly deal with any attempt to create violence and adequate force have been deployed in all sensitive spots. He also appealed to social media users to restrain themselves from spreading rumours and provocative messages, which would attract legal action.
