"My father recently joined BJP. Because of this, some CPI (M) workers here threatened to kill my father for doing so. I have heard they do kill people...I am scared," says Ashwini Sukumaran, in a video that has now gone viral on Facebook.
The class 11 student from Kasargod district alleges in the video that CPI (M) workers in Karinthalam have been threatening her father Sukumaran for joining BJP. Karinthalam is a CPI (M) stronghold.
In the video, Ashwini alleged that CPI (M) members warned that they will not let Sukumaran and his family live in peace in the area.
"Yesterday, my father and I had to take an alternate route, fearing them. They will do whatever they want, I am sure. They threatened to kill my father and hack him, while I was present. They said they fear no one, not even the police. How will we live in this place? We don't know why they are targeting my father like this, he had never been part of any political party," Ashwini said.
Sukumaran recently joined BJP at an event attended by the party's state president Kummanam Rajasekharan.
The video has gone viral on social media and has been viewed and shared widely. Days after the video was posted, Ashwini and her father Sukumaran held a press conference in Kasargod on Friday.
Explaining the circumstances in which she was forced to put up the video seeking help, Ashwini said that the family was being isolated in their neighbourhood post the incident.
"If they threatened my father in front of his daughter, I am worried that they will indeed hack him. That's why I made the video," Ashwini said in the press meet.
Sukumaran has now filed a police complaint against CPI (M) members for threatening him.
After BJP Keralam's Facebook page shared the video, party general secretary K Surendran came down strongly on CPI (M). Sharing Ashwini's video, Surendran lashed out at CPI (M), alleging that the party was using fake votes to make their candidate win.
"If someone in their booth thinks differently, first they (CPI (M)) will threaten them, then will attack them and spread rumours so that their girl children's wedding gets foiled. And finally, party members will themselves cast votes on their behalf," Surendan wrote, in an attempt to explain how CPI (M) treats people in the constituency who change their political affiliation.
After the video garnered attention, the local CPI (M) unit has denied any role in the matter. The party said that none of its members threatened Sukumaran and added that he was never a member of the party.