Union Minister Smriti Irani (Files)
The BJP on Thursday mounted pressure on the Left government in Kerala over “intensifying” political violence in the state, saying that it did not trust the Pinarayi Vijayan government’s peace process because “it is not taking effective action to curb killings of RSS workers”. While speaking to a group of journalists outside Parliament, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said: “It is very evident that the Government of Kerala is not taking effective action to curb killings of RSS workers as it is politically beneficial to them. It is a shame that law and order is completely broken in the state.”
In order to keep up the heat on the state government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected visit on August 6 the house of a slain RSS functionary, Rajesh, who was hacked to death by a gang last week. The CPI(M) has denied any involvement in the killing. Jaitley would also visit the houses of BJP ward councillors that were attacked allegedly by CPI(M) activists in various parts of Thiruvanathapuram last week, BJP leaders said.
The aggressive attack on the Communists and the Kerala government was launched two days after top leaders of the RSS —- general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi and joint general secretaries Krishna Gopal and Dattatreya Hosabale —- met BJP chief Amit Shah and are believed to have discussed the political violence in Kerala and the BJP’s inability to bring the attacks on RSS workers into the national headlines.
“In a number of attacks against the RSS and BJP workers, our party office in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked. It happened at a time when curfew was declared in the area. Police were there. Merely holding peace meetings will not work,” BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav told the group of journalists. Both Irani and Yadav said Rajesh’s murder was brutal.
“You can’t murder people for following an ideology. Everyone should wake up to this. Its a matter of political consciousness,” Yadav said. The BJP general secretary said there was an attack just ahead of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s vist to Kerala. “Police officers are behaving like cadres of the CPI(M). They too have a role. There have been 17 murders in 17 months,” Yadav said.
