The BJP today accused Kerala's CPI(M)-led LDF government of sending sleuths from the special branch to shadow RSS leaders and activists in the state, a charge rejected by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office.
BJP national executive committee member P K Krishnadas alleged that the chief minister, who is also holding the home portfolio, has ordered the special branch to track the activities of RSS, its workers and leaders.
A section of media has reported it, he told a press conference here.
"It is a step by the chief minister to impose a ban on activities of RSS in the state. We have no issues. Pinarayi Vijayan won't be able to do anything against RSS even if he is a born a thousand times," Krishnadas said.
He also claimed that the CPI(M)-led government has tasked the intelligence wing of the state police to keep a watch on CPI(M) leaders to check whether any of them had turned soft towards the RSS and the BJP.
Reacting to this, a top political functionary in the chief minister's office termed as "baseless" the allegations levelled by the BJP leader.
"Using police for political purpose is not the policy of the CPI(M) or LDF government," M V Jayarajan, private secretary to the CM and CPI(M)'s state committee member, told PTI when asked for reaction to the allegation.
The Special Branch CID, headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police and assisted by an IGP and two DIGs, has two divisions--Intelligence and Security.
The intelligence wing of Kerala Police deals with terrorism and anti-national activities.
The allegations by Krishnadas came amid continuing war of words between the CPI(M) and BJP leaders over political violence in the state.
BJP president Amit Shah had recently hit out at CPI(M) over political violence in Kerala, asking Vijayan if he was prepared to take moral responsibility for the "killing of 13 innocent BJP/RSS workers" after the state's Left Democratic Front (LDF) government came to power.
On his part, Vijayan had alleged that some Union ministers and chief ministers, who joined its padayatra, had tried to vitiate the harmony in the state with their 'provocative statements.'
BJP had organised a 15-day Jan Raksha Yatra in the state to highlight the "Left's atrocities" in Kerala under the LDF government.
Shah had on October 3 flagged-off the yatra at Payyannur in Kannur, the northern district of the state which has a history of clashes between CPI(M) and BJP/RSS workers.
The padayatra traversed 11 districts in the state with four chief ministers, including Yogi Aditiyanath of Uttar Pradesh, senior party leaders and union ministers taking part in the high-pitched campaign against the ruling LDF.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)