KANNUR, THE DEN OF DEATH
KANNUR DISTRICT IN NORTHERN KERALA HAS PERHAPS THE WORST HISTORY IN POLITICAL KILLINGS, WHICH STARTED IN EARLY SEVENTIES AND CONTINUED IN THE NEW CENTURY, TOO. AS PER THE DATA AVAILABLE WITH THE DISTRICT CRIME RECORDS BUREAU, THE DISTRICT WITNESSED AS MANY AS POLITICAL MURDERS 106 FROM MARCH 1991 TO DECEMBER 2016. 15 NUMBER OF CONGRESS WORKERS KILLED.
LAST JULY, AFTER BOTH SIDES LOST A MAN IN KANNUR, CPM STATE SECRETARY AND FORMER HOME MINISTER KODIYERI BALAKRISHNAN GAVE AN OMINOUS TWIST TO A SLOGAN THAT COMMUNISTS ONCE USED EFFECTIVELY TO END THE FEUDAL EXPLOITATION OF POOR PADDY WORKERS. WHEN HE UTTERED THE SLOGAN 'WORK IN THE FIELDS, WAGES AT THE BOUNDARY', THE CADRE WERE ELECTRIFIED. THEY GOT WHAT THEIR LEADER MEANT: SUDDEN AND BLOODY RETALIATION FOR ANY ATTACK AGAINST PARTYMEN.
BJP LEADERS ARE NO LESS
MARTIAL. THIS WEEK, AS PEACE TALKS WERE ON, BJP LEADER SOBHA SURENDRAN ASKED KODIYERI BALAKRISHNAN DURING A PUBLIC MEETING: "ISN'T IT TIME FOR YOU TO KICK THE BUCKET."
A REMEDY
A STRONG STATE POLICE CHIEF CAN TURN THE TABLE AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE", SAYS FORMER STATE POLICE CHIEF K.J. JOSEPH, WHO WAS DIG NORTHERN RANGE, AND CALMED THALASSERY IN 1981-82 AFTER BLOODY CLASHES CLAIMED 30 ACTIVISTS. HIS TACTIC WAS TO BOOK THOSE IN THE HIGHER PECKING ORDER UNDER CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY (SECTION 120 B) IPC. "SUDDENLY THEY DEVELOPED COLD FEET, SOME EVEN FLED THE PLACE, FEARING SURE ARREST FOR COMPLICITY IN CRIMES". "DISMANTLE PARTY VILLAGES, THAT ARE PARTY FIEFDOMS, BELONGING TO BOTH CPM AND BJP-RSS. MANY FOOT SOLDIERS OF REVOLUTION ARE REHABILITATED HERE," SAID MR JOSEPH.