Yechury heckling triggers fresh clashes in Kerala
The heckling of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi two days ago has set off a series of political clashes between CPI(M) and RSS workers in many parts of Kerala. At least two dozen party offices and houses were attacked in the last two days.
The acrimonious ties between the two turned worse with counter clashes in different parts of the state. Bombs were thrown at the BJP district office here two days ago and CPI(M) district office in Kozhikode was attacked a day after in a similar way.
Several houses of party workers were also targeted. The worst hit north Kerala’s Kozhikode has been observing a shutdown for last two days. BJP state secretary VK Sajeevan’s house was attacked in Vatakara on Friday.
Blame game has begun with both accusing each other of beginning the fresh bout of violence. While the CPI(M) claimed that it was orchestrated by Sangh Parivar outfits deliberately after BJP president Amit Shah’s threeday visit to the state but the BJP said CPI(M) let loose a series of attacks against party workers and offices citing the heckling of Yechury in New Delhi. Leaders of both admit that they were finding difficult to control their cadres. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday to discuss recurring political killings in the state rather than shedding tears about the new notification on cattle sale.
“Cow is not an issue anywhere. Let the Kerala chief minister take some measures to check mindless political killings in the state. That is more important than cattle. It is sad many killings took place in chief minister’s own constituency,” Fadnavis said in Kochi.
He was in the port city to participate in a party function to mark three years of the Modi government.