THIRUVANANTHPURAM: With the UDF and BJP mounting attack on Kodiyeri Balakrishnan for his alleged provocative speech at Payyannur, the CPM leadership rallied behind the state secretary justifying his statement. Kannur strongman P. Jayarajan led the CPM brigade attack accusing the Congress and BJP of shielding RSS criminals.
Despite Congress and BJP demanding action against Kodiyeri for his alleged inflammatory speech, the CPM is in no mood to express regret. Kodiyeri in his speech had accused the police of shielding those responsible for CPM worker's murder. “Normally the police should stand with the victims, but here the police is with the accused. This is totally unacceptable,” he said and urged the party men to give “enemies” a befitting reply.
“Those coming to attack party strongholds should be dealt with sternly. Our young men and women should be given physical training. Those coming to attack us in our areas should not return in one piece. This should be ensured by increasing our strength in all areas,” Kodiyeri said. The CPM believes that there was nothing wrong in the speech made by Kodiyeri.
The CPM state secretary had only urged the party workers to strengthen their defence in the face of mounting attacks. Moreover Kodiyeri had not asked the cadre to go out and unleash violence against the rivals. The party alleged that attacks on CPM workers had increased manifold since RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat held a “baithak” in Kannur and asked the saffron brigade to deal with the Marxists.
A section of policemen in the district were also toeing a similar line. Despite the strong defence being put up by CPM, the Congress and BJP have stepped up demand for action against Kodiyeri. BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan has gone a step further seeking registration of a case against CPM state secretary. Amid allegations and counter allegations, people fear that provocative statements being made by politicians from either side could trigger a fresh round of violence in the sensitive Kannur district.
Jayarajan in defence of Kodiyeri
CPM Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan came in defense of Kodiyeri Balakirshnan’s controversial Payyannur speech. Reacting to the issue, Jayarajan said that the Kodiyeri’s speech only intended the cadres to be cautious about the attacks unleashed by the RSS-BJP leadership.
“Party workers should always be equipped to face such and attacks. Those who come with the intention to attack should not return happily and they should never think to attack again in any other places,” Jayarajan added.
Oppn says CPM makes open call for violence
The controversial statement made by CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at Payyannur on Sunday asking the party cadres to retaliate against the attackers triggered widespread condemnation from rival political leaders on Monday. The Congress and BJP leaders came down heavily on Mr Kodiyeri saying he was asking the people to take law into their hands and create violence.
Mr Kodiyeri, while inaugurating a public function on Sunday organised by the CPM to protest against the murder of its worker Dhanaraj on July 11, had said “we should not lose another Dhanaraj. The RSS-BJP attacks should be dealt with sternly,” he said and urged party workers to hit back at the rivals. “The CPM men should not allow those who come to attack them to return in the same shape,” he said.
KPCC chief V.M. Sudheeran asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to make his stand clear on the statement and register a case against him. “He had challenged the rule of law in the country by asking the party workers to take law into their hands,” he added. “The CPM and the BJP should refrain from violence and stop killing people for political gains,” he said.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded that Mr Kodiyeri should be booked for instigating violence. RSP secretary A. A. Azeez said Mr Kodiyeri, a former home minister, should not have made such a provocative statement. A BJP delegation led by former BJP state president P. K. Krishnadas met DGP Loknath Behera to file a complaint against Mr Kodiyeri.
The DGP agreed to initiate a probe into the allegation and sought evidence for it. Mr Krishnadas said he would submit the video copy of Mr Kodiyeri’s speech.
BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan alleged that Mr Kodiyeri had openly called for violence when the people were looking for peace. “Kodiyeri has committed a crime and he should not be pardoned. His speech is a chargesheet against the Chief Minister. If the LDF government does not slap a case against Kodiyeri, we will move the court,” he said.
