Kerala BJP approaches Governor against CPI-M violence

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26 (IANS) Top Kerala BJP leaders, led by state party President Kummanem Rajasekheran, on Tuesday called on Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam and urged him to intervene to end the violence unleashed by the CPI-M cadres against their workers.

"We are forced to approach the Governor, as there is no point in waiting to get justice from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan," said Rajasekheran in his letter to the Governor.

"Since the Vijayan government assumed office in May last year, 15 BJP/RSS workers have been killed, 600 attacks against their cadres have taken place, hundreds of our cadres have been seriously injured and crores of money has been lost on account of the damages caused in the attack," Rajasekheran added.

The letter mentioned that according to the National Crime Records Bureau figures, Kerala leads in political violence in the country.

"Of late, the CPI-M violence against their cadres has increased in districts like Thrissur and Kottayam. We have again come to the Governor seeking his immediate intervention to end the violence against our cadres," said the letter.

It pointed out that ever since the violence unleashed by the CPI-M caught national attention, their modus operandi had changed.

"If earlier they used to engage in killing, now they ensure that there is no killing, instead their opponents are crippled for life," the letter said.

"We cooperated with the call given by the Chief Minister and took part in all the peace talks of the government. But there has been no abatement in attacks and hence we have approached you.

"We seek your immediate intervention to see that you call for a report from the state police chief and the Home Secretary and then take appropriate steps," read the letter.

The governor assured the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation that he would do the needful.