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BJP insists on ordering CBI probe

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE MAY 8. The BJP State vice-president and president-designate, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, has reiterated his party's demand for a CBI probe into the communal carnage that occurred at Marad.

Mr. Pillai, while addressing a press conference here today, said that the judicial inquiry ordered by the Government was not enough. Only an independent and effective crime investigating agency could bring out the purpose behind the `well-planned and executed' communal carnage at Marad.

"It is evident that the Crime Branch cannot find out the real facts through an investigation. The seizure of weapons at a mosque, the conspiracy behind it, the question of involvement of forces outside the State and the foreign connection behind these violent incidents had to be brought out through the investigation. In these circumstances, the BJP demands that the Antony Government hand over the investigation to the CBI.''

He said that the party had decided to go ahead with the agitation programmes and legal action if the UDF Government was not ready to meet its demand. "The party cannot implead directly for a CBI probe in the court, but the family members of the victims of the Marad carnage could submit petitions. Such a move is being contemplated.''

Referring to the Marad carnage and the involvement of parties, Mr. Pillai said the primary evidences were against the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). ``Huge cache of weapons, including country bombs, tin bombs and gelatin sticks, were seized from Marad Juma Masjid. Many of the accused and incriminating materials were recovered from the mosque premises. This mosque belongs to the Sunni faction led by the IUML.

"The mosque office-bearers, including the secretary, are League leaders. One of the accused, Jafer Las of Arakinner, had, in his first evidence to the Assistant Sub-Inspector, listed the names of many persons, including IUML leaders, in connection with the carnage. A Government-level pressure is on to change this evidence.''

He criticised the IUML for its statement blaming the BJP for `cashing in' on the Marad carnage. "The IUML cannot absolve itself of the Marad carnage by just blaming the BJP without any reason. It should be ready to correct the mistakes and disown the accused, including the mosque committee members. They should openly support the handing over of the case to the CBI.''

He said that hoarding of weapons in `mosques' had been going on as was happening in Kashmir. Cultural leaders and those belonging to Muslim organisations and various religions were keeping silence on the Marad carnage. "This reluctance to respond was a course of concern. Other Muslim leaders did not respond to the misuse of a place of worship for hoarding weapons.''

Responding to the question that the Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, himself had absolved the IUML of any involvement in the Marad carnage, Mr. Pillai said, "The chief Minister cannot survive (in power) by letting down the League."

To the query why he was targeting the IUML when the Union Home Minister, L. K. Advani, himself had stated the involvement of the NDF, he said that not only Mr. Advani, but the CPI(M) State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, had also said that the NDF was involved in the Marad carnage.

"And when the CPI(M), which had teamed up with the NDF in the last elections said this, one could only believe them,'' Mr. Pillai said.

Asked about his party's response to the Chief Minister's statement of setting up fast track courts to deal with the Marad carnage-related cases, he said the cases in these courts would take a long time. "Mr. Antony could have asked for setting up special courts."

He said that the BJP would start its agitation, including a fast, demanding handing over cases to the CBI and saving the State from the clutches of `religious fundamentalist forces' in all district centres from May 12. The BJP State president, C. K. Padmanabhan, would inaugurate the fast in Kozhikode.

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