As the BJP led NDA government came into power at the centre, the Kannur unit appears buoyant and is witnessing a surge in the political violence.
By Shafeeq Hudavi, TwoCircles.net,
Kannur, Kerala: The murder of CPM worker Preman from Chittaripparamba and death of Sarojini, a housewife from Pinarayi in Kannur have brought into sharp focus the culture of violence embedded in the political culture of Kannur in Kerala.
Sarojin, mother of CPM Venduttayi branch secretary C Shyjan, had been undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College with injuries following her house was attacked by alleged RSS activists in the wee hours of February 2. Preman is the fifth person to be murdered since December 1, 2013, and is the latest victim of the ruthless political violence by CPM and Sangh fold that seems to have no respite here.
CPM leaders E P Jayarajan, P Jayarajan and M V Jayarajan beside the body of slain CPM worker Oniyan Preman at Thalassery Co-operative Hospital on February 26 (Courtesy: Indian Express)
As the BJP led NDA government came into power at the centre, the Kannur unit appears buoyant and is witnessing a surge in the political violence.
The violence still continues to be sporadic following the murder of RSS leader E Manoj was murdered at Kizhakke Kathirur here, who was killed before five months. Manoj was one of the prime suspects of the assault case against CPM leader P Jayarajan. He was killed in retaliation to the brutal attack against Jayarajan in 1999.
Since September 2014 to the last week of January 2015, 183 persons were injured in the district in various political clashes. This period witnessed four political murders in addition to the cases in which several persons were maimed, according to the figures available with the police.
More than 150 houses were damaged in bomb attacks, arson and in stone pelting in addition to the party offices, reading rooms and libraries. Hundreds of vehicles, including cars, auto-rickshaws and motorbikes were set on fire in various incidents across the district.
Unlike past few years, the political violence is showing an upward trend as the Sandh fold, according to critics, has attained power and confidence as BJP led NDA came into power. The statistics with the police substantiate the fact by showing a steady increase in political clashes since September 1 last year with the total number of registered cases going up from 13 to 39 in January this year. The total number of injured persons reached 50 from 14 persons injured in political violence in September last.
While it comes to the violence, the State Government’s action is drawn heavy criticism. Unlike in the cases, reported in the previous years the state government had taken a hurried decision to invoke Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in RSS activist Manoj murder case.
IUML MLA from the district, K M Shaji had said to a national daily that this had caused suspicion among the people as to why it was so keen to use such a law, which was not used in sensational Shukkoor murder case or T P Chandrasekharan murder case.
Both Shukkoor, a Muslim Students Federation (MSF) leader in Kannur and T P Chandrasekharan, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader in Kozhikode were killed by the CPM activists over political motives.
“I am not questioning the government’s intention but it is a natural doubt among the people, why this case was given more prominence while the plea for CBI probe in other cases has not received favourable reply from the central agency which said it was overburdened with cases,” Shaji had said.
While attending a peace meeting, held in Kannur district collectorate conference hall on February 26, CPM district secretary P Jayarajan alleged that the RSS was not allowing few families of the minority community at Poyiloor to live in the area.
“Jayarajan alleged that the district administration and the police were trying to appease the RSS, while his party workers were being targeted with various provisions of the Kerala Anti-social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The government was using UAPA to hunt down CPM workers,” he alleged.
RSS leader Valsan Thillankery alleged that some police stations in the district were functioning like CPM party offices. Some police officers were behaving in a highly partisan manner. The all-party meeting suggested that the police should act in a fair and judicious manner.
Meanwhile, district police chief P N Unnirajan said the political parties and people here should take the lead and take sincere efforts to establish peace in the district.
“The police would remain impartial and was duty-bound to maintain law and order in the district,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kannavam police on February 27 registered a case against 12 BJP-RSS activists in connection with the murder case of CPM activist Onian Preman. The Special Investigation Team led by Narcotic DySP N Viswanathan had so far identified six of the 12 culprits. “The culprits have been identified but no one could be taken into custody so far. We have intensified the search for them,” he said.
Three BJP activists were remanded in custody in connection with the attack on Sarojin’s house.