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Anirudha Karindalam
Anirudha Karindalam

KANNUR

Rein in partymen, CPI tells CPI(M), after violence in Kannur

Kanam1-sreevalsan CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran

After an RSS worker was brutally hacked to death near Payyannur in Kannur district of Kerala, allegedly by CPI(M) workers, the CPI has asked the CPI(M) to control its partymen and ensure peace in the state. Choorakkad Biju, 34, was hacked to death by a gang around 4pm on May 12. Biju was one of the accused in the murder of a CPI(M) worker in July 2016 and had police security at his home till a few days ago. 

CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy told THE WEEK, “The CPI(M) should ensure better governance in the state and not get involved in such things. Both the RSS and the CPI(M) are to blame for the worsening situation, as an equal number of people have died on both sides over the years. The CPI(M), on its part, should be careful and focus on the welfare of the people of Kerala. Nothing should be done that would affect the image of the ruling LDF in the state, of which we are part of.” 

CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said that the LDF government should take action against Biju’s killers. “The CPI(M) and the BJP should put an end to the cycle of violence in Kannur once and for all. What happened in Kannur on May 12 should not have happened in the first place. It is really unfortunate. Some months ago, there was an all-party meeting in Kannur to end political violence there. The government should find out why its peace initiative didn’t work. The BJP and the RSS also need to cooperate with the peace initiatives in Kannur. Everyone needs to take things seriously. Killings of this kind should never happen in the state,” said Rajendran to THE WEEK.

Biju’s killing was the eighth political murder in Kannur since the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government came to power in May 2016. Vijayan said that Biju’s murder was a one-off incident and that it would not affect the efforts to keep Kannur peaceful. 

The state BJP leaders met Governor P. Sathasivam on May 13 and requested him to impose Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Kannur and sought the intervention of the Union government. 

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