Has the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) retaliation against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers begun in Kerala on Hindu Samrajya Diwas?
Over 100 CPM activists surrounded a house where Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation anniversary day celebrations (Hindu Samrajya Diwas) were held in Karivellur near Payyannur in Kannur district. BJP workers who came to the event were assaulted, and their vehicles vandalised to incite a riot. The incident occurred in Kuniyan on Thursday, 20 June, at 7 pm.
The event was held at the home of BJP Mandal Committee member Kundathil Balan and attended by around 20 persons. More than a hundred CPM members surrounded the house and raised threatening slogans for three hours. Local police intervened and rescued the RSS program participants around 10 pm.
The CPM members planned the attack by spreading fake news through social media that the RSS was preparing for weapons training. The CPM activists were told that crude bombs were being made in the house on Thursday night. Soon, party goons from distant locations arrived.
On getting the information, a police team led by Payyannur DySP Umesh A and a rapid action force from Kanhangad reached the spot. They tried to persuade the gathered crowd to disperse but allegedly failed. Later, more policemen from Peringome, Cherupuzha and Payyannur police stations were brought to the spot.
The police thoroughly searched the house and found no evidence of weapons or bombs. Police clarified that a peaceful meeting was on, and the fear of conflict eased. The BJP workers were escorted to their homes in a police vehicle under heavy guard.
CPM’s sinister retaliation tactics did not end on Thursday. On Friday morning, DySP Umesh and his team recovered a rusty sword and two iron rods from the spot. The BJP alleged that the CPM goons who arrived on the house premises had left these. The police, who registered a case voluntarily for the seizure of weapons, have not charged anyone.
On the complaint of the BJP Mandal president, Panakkil Balakrishnan, the police filed a case against 106 CPM members. Payyannur police booked CP Anish, Girish, P Ramesan, Arun, Surendran and a bank employee, Prasobh.
BJP National Committee member C.K. Padmanabhan said they will defeat CPM’s fascism at any cost. He was addressing a demonstration at the incident site. Protests against premeditated violence in an otherwise untroubled area are widespread.
On Friday, a meeting was organised under the leadership of the Payyannur Mandal Committee in the same house to protest the disruption of the Hindu Samrajya Diwas celebrations. BJP District President N. Haridas, state committee members C. Narayanan, Adv. K.K. Sreedharan and other leaders visited the house where the CPM goons unleashed violence.
The reason for the violence was the increase in votes for the NDA candidate in the CPM bastions in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP votes in the Kuniyan area (a CPM stronghold) increased by more than 130. While the vote share of both Congress and CPM went down in Kannur, the BJP candidate’s share rose by 5%. This growth, combined with their loss, has enraged the CPM leadership.
Crude bombs have been blowing up in different parts of Kannur ever since the election results were announced, where the CPM won just one seat out of 20. To add insult to injury, the BJP won the Thrissur seat.
Allegedly, the CPM is planning violence to divert the attention of their disappointed cadre. Since the CPM is now a Congress ally, the RSS workers in Kerala will have to bear the brunt of their militant tactics. Sleeper cell jihadi Islamists will also play their part. Will the BJP protect its cadre, or will Kerala go the West Bengal way?
