The murder of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary on Monday has revived fears of fresh violence in the politically volatile areas of the district, which has witnessed retaliatory clashes and murders involving Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Sangh Parivar workers in the past.
Coming as it did against a backdrop of hostilities between the Left party and the Sangh Parivar in the past few months over the attempts by both the sides to lure workers from each other’s fold, the murder of RSS worker Elanthodath Majoj at Kathirur, near Thalassery, may trigger fresh violence in the areas that are sitting on powder kegs of political passions waiting for a spark to trigger violence.
Anticipating trouble, the police have deployed additional forces in and around Panur, which in the past few years have been relatively free from major incidents involving the two parties.
The ‘race’ between the CPI(M) and the BJP-RSS in the district to woo workers from each other was kicked off by the CPI(M) district leadership earlier this year by bringing into its camp scores of BJP workers led by two district leaders. The BJP district leadership retaliated by parading CPI(M) workers who they claimed to have joined the saffron camp.
Both the BJP and the RSS district leadership in separate statements held the CPI(M) district and State leaderships responsible for the murder of Manoj, who incidentally was one of the accused in the case of attack on CPI(M) district secretary P. Jayarajan on Thiruvonam day in 1999. The attack was also an attempt by the CPI(M) leaders to incite violence in a bid to stop erosion of its party workers, they alleged. At a recent public function to receive the workers of the rival parties, including the CPI(M), the BJP, blamed Left leaders for any attack on BJP-RSS workers.
According to Congress district president K. Surendran, the greatest threat to peace in the district is the attempt by the CPI(M) and the BJP to prevent their workers from switching sides.