CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has accused the BJP of propagating falsehood to project Kerala as a land of political violence and turmoil.
He was speaking at a demonstration organised by the party in front of the Raj Bhavan on Sunday. The relatives of 21 CPI(M) workers who were allegedly killed by BJP and RSS activists in the district participated in the gathering.
Mr. Balakrishnan alleged that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s visit reinforced the notion that the BJP was hell-bent on capturing power in the State at any cost. “By restricting his visit to the houses of BJP workers alone, he has reduced himself to a Minister of the BJP and the RSS. One would expect a Minister of the Union Cabinet to rise above partisan politics and value lives equally,” he said.
Criticising the alleged smear campaign of breakdown of law and order in Kerala, Mr. Balakrishnan said the BJP-ruled States had witnessed a marked increase in violence in recent times. “According to official statistics that were released by the Union government, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh topped the chart with 2,599 and 2,381 deaths, respectively, due to violence reported in 2016. They were followed by Rajasthan (1,589) and Gujarat (1,228).
Moreover, Uttar Pradesh had also witnessed lawlessness with the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government coming to power. The number of violent deaths reported in the State had increased from 286 in January (when the Samajwadi Party had been in power) to 396 in March and 399 in April. Moreover, as many as 772 rape cases had been registered there in March and April. Yogi Adityanath, who intends to visit Kerala to bring peace, must focus on restoring law and order in his State,” he said.
The CPI (M) leader added that the party had borne the brunt of political violence in the State. Of 969 political activists who were killed since 1970, as many as 527 were CPI(M) workers, he said. He criticised Mr. Jaitley, who also holds the Defence portfolio, for failing to visit the aggrieved family of Indian Air Force Flight Lieutenant S. Achu Dev who was killed in a jet crash three months ago, at their home in Sreekaryam.
He also dared the Centre to dismiss the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and impose President’s rule in the State for its political interests. The coalition was capable of proving its strength at the polls that would be held later. The BJP would face its greatest setback in the State, he said.
LDF convener Vaikom Viswan inaugurated the meeting. CPI(M) central committee member E.P. Jayarajan, MLA, A. Sampath, MP, district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, State committee member V. Sivankutty and KTDC chairman M. Vijayakumar were present on the occasion.
