Don't react to provocations: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan appealed for calm on Saturday and requested party cadres not to resort to any form of violence. Balakrishnan stepped in and intervened following unabated violence in certain parts of the state, including Kannur where residences of senior party leaders were vandalized on Friday.

"An understanding was reached at an all-party meeting, convened by the CM in Kannur, against attacking residences. RSS violated it first at Thalassery. On Friday, RSS workers attacked the residence of CPM area committee member V Sasi first. Other incidents followed," Balakrishnan told reporters. He said CPM won't gain anything from violence and members shouldn't be provoked by RSS-BJP tantrums.

He also asked the BJP leadership to intervene and control its cadre. However, he said CPM wouldn't surrender before RSS without putting up resistance. "In some other states, RSS could enforce its agenda without resistance. If a fly comes near your eyes, you will wave your hand to drive it away. Such a mode of resistance will be adopted by CPM workers if someone attacks them," he said.