THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition has urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to hold an all-party meet to end the political violence in Kannur. A delegation led by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala called on the chief minister at his office in the secretariat and expressed concern over the rising bloodshed in Kannur district. They asked Mr Pinarayi Vijayan to intervene to restore peace in the region. Mr Chennithala told reporters that political intervention was required to end the violence.
“The LDF government should take immediate steps to intervene in the crisis to bring peace in the region. The situation in Kannur resembles a war. Political violence and murders are on the rise,” he said. The chief minister agreed to look into the matter, he said. Apart from Mr Chennithala, former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Muslim League leader P. K. Kunhalikutty, RSP leader A. A. Azeez, KC (Jacob) MLA Anoop Jacob and CMP leader C. P. John were in the delegation.
Mr Chennithala and Mr Kunhalikutty alleged that the murder of Muslim League activist Mohammed Aslam had taken place in similar circumstances in Kozhikode recently. Mr Chennithala claimed that the two strikes staged by the UDF were a success. The indefinite fast by the UDF MLAs against the self-financing issue saw a decrease in the fees. The agitation would be intensified.
He also said industries minister E. P. Jayarajan had to resign due to the UDF strike against nepotism. Mr Kunhalikutty said the Muslim organisations were against the centre’s move to introduce a uniform civil code. “Even Jawaharlal Nehru had stated that a change should be brought about in personal law only after taking into account the society’s views,” said Mr Kunhalikutty.
