UDF walks out of all-party meet on Kannur violence

Representatives of the Congress-led United Democratic Front on Wednesday walked out of an all-party peace meeting called by the Kerala government in Kannur to appeal for peace following the brutal murder of a Youth Congress activist, complaining their legislators were not invited.

Congress and Muslim League representatives also questioned the presence of Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP KK Ragesh in the meet. A verbal spat between Congress and the CPI(M) leaders started and the UDF members staged a walkout from the meeting convened by culture minister AK Balan.

“In the peace meet, CPI(M) district secretary P Jayarajan was controlling the whole proceedings and we can’t accept it. Now, we have decided only to attend the meet convened by the chief minister,” president of Congress’ Kannur unit Satheesan Pacheni said.

However, Jayarajan accused Congress leaders of staging a drama.

The trouble-torn northern district, notorious for clashes between the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and CPI(M), was pushed to the after Youth Congress leader M Shuhaib was allegedly hacked to death by a group of the left party’s activists on February 11.

Kannur is home to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The district has witnessed 10 political murders — three in chief minister’s assembly constituency Dharmadam — since the new government came to power in 2016. Shuhaib’s murder has invited more embarrassment.

Police have arrested two people who are active party functionaries in connection with Shuhaib’s murder but the Congress has said they were “dummy killers” not real assassins. The Congress and Shuhaib’s family have sought an inquiry by the CBI into the murder.

Congress leader K Sudhakaran, a former member of Parliament from Kannur, is staging a fast outside the Kannur collectorate for last two days seeking the arrest of all accused.

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