TCN Series: Saffroning Kerala: Part 1
By Abdul Basith, TwoCircles.net,
Kodungallur [Thrissur/Kerala]: Death of an RSS worker in Kerala given the saffron brigade an opportunity to fan communal tensions. 23 year old Jithu Mohanan of Kodungallur committed suicide in frustration as the girl he ‘loved,’ who incidentally was a Muslim, did not reciprocate to his overtures.
The girl from Charummoodu repeatedly rejected her proposals and even complained to her parents. On her parents’ suggestions, the girl decided to stay at her sister’s home, hoping that a few days away from home will be a better option to get away from him.
Jithu admitted at general hospital
Though her sister’s husband is a police officer, the girl’s family opted not to take any legal actions against the RSS worker as they wanted to resolve it without affecting the girl’s future.
As Jithu was not able to trace her, in frustration he texted the girl’s parents saying that he would commit suicide if they are not ready to get her married to him. In between, the local saffron leaders of the region persuaded him to file a habeas-corpus saying that the girl is missing. However, the girl on her submission before the court stated that she doesn’t have any relations with him and that she would opt to stay with her parents.
While the court proceedings were underway, some Sangh-parivar activists were found roaming within the court premises of the court. It is believed that they had plans to abduct the girl.
Her sister’s husband – Vahad, who himself is a police officer, foreseeing such a plot from the saffron elements quite cunningly deceived them and rescued the girl by taking her back to his home.
However, Jithu reached Vahad’s residence and threatened to commit suicide if he is not allowed to marry the girl. He went out and came back with a can of petrol, poured the whole content over himself and set himself ablaze.
Neighbours had gathered by then, who doused the flame and rushed him to the Ernakulum General Hospital with almost 60 percent burns.
Filled with vengeance, Jithu gave a statement from the hospital that he was set to fire by the girl’s relatives. The RSS workers of Kodungallur even before Jithu gave his statement, came out with provocative slogans and accusations against the girl’s relatives.
Locals who witnessed the incident and the primary diagnosis from the General Hospital shared a belief that, he would survive. He was then transferred to the Amrita Hospital Ernakulum run by a spiritual woman, Matha Amrithanandamayi. However, within days quite unexpectedly Jithu succumbed to the burns.
The Sanghaprivar owned Malayalam News daily Janmabhoomi reported Jithu’s death as a murder committed by the girl’s relatives and the daily’s claim was soon taken up by saffron elements, who soon created a turbulent atmosphere in the region raising provocative and abusive slogans against the Muslim Community.
RSS activists then took up the Janmabhoomi story to carry out their malicious agenda saying that Vahad called Jithu at his residence. They even alleged that it was Vahad, who poured petrol over him and set him ablaze in order to kill him.
RSS workers even declared a hartal next day at Kodungallur. However, many local populations, including a women forum came out against the strike, and they organised public meetings throughout Kodungallur raising questions like, why Sanghparivar has announced a hartal over a suicide committed by a guy who was seen harassing an innocent girl by even resorting to violent insane actions, despite her choice to stay away from him?
Besides they condemned the Saffron plot to take political mileage out of a mishap and expressed doubts over whether it was those RSS activists and friends who encouraged Jithu to commit this suicidal act in front of Vahad’s residence.
They have demanded a detailed inquiry into the treatment availed at Ernakulum Amritha Hospital as until Jithu was admitted there, the general perception was that he would survive.
Meanwhile, the CPIM Kodungallur area committee, in its statement, observed that the Hindu Aikya Vedi harthal is a well planned plot to create communal divide in the region. The statement demanded the people of Kodungallur to stay united and resist the Sanghparivar hate campaigns targeting a specific community.
The Irinjalakuda DYSP Biju Bhaskar investigating the case has said that the Police have got convincing evidences to say that Jithu has set himself ablaze by pouring petrol which he brought with him to the cop’s residence. The Officer said that they have traced text messages sent by Jithu to Vahad and his wife’s mobile phones, saying, ‘he will make them eat his dead body.’