Following RSS functionary Biju’s murder at Payyannur in Kannur on Friday, the tussle over BJP’s demand for imposition of AFSPA in the state, seems to have intensified.
On Saturday, a BJP delegation led by O Rajagopal MLA had met Governor P Sathasivam at the Raj Bhavan and submitted a petition seeking action against the culprits behind the murder.
The petition said the Sangh Parivar had lost 14 activists in nearly 500 attacks unleashed by the CPI-M workers and alleged that the state government was supporting the perpetrators of violence in Kannur.
BJP leaders demanded imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in violence-hit areas of Kannur.
Rajagopal said, "Today, the Kerala Police has become an outfit of the CPI-M and miserably failed to protect the lives and property of citizens.”
"The police are always linked to the leaders of the CPI-M, who direct them. The only way peace can return to Kannur is with implementation of the AFSPA," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Later, the Governor forwarded the complaint to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and told him to initiate immediate steps to curb the violence in Kannur.
“It is necessary to send a positive signal to peace loving citizens of the State,” the statement said.
However, BJP state general secretary MT Ramesh slammed the Governor for forwarding the petition to CM and said the party does not need a middleman to hand over a complaint to the Chief Minister.
“Does it mean the BJP does not know the office address of the Chief Minister? The Governor has several options to initiate action. The question is whether he can do it or not,” he said.
The Governor was at the receiving end of further criticism with BJP state general secretary Shobha Surendran saying, "Despite many complaints, the governor has not taken any action. If he is scared of Pinarayi, then he should step down from the governor’s post.”
Reacting to the criticism of the Governor, CPI-M state General Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan flayed the BJP and said that it was part of a devious plan to destabilise Kerala and bring it under Governor's rule.
"The BJP's demand for AFSPA and its criticism of the Governor betrays a larger plan. This is against democracy. The Governor forwarded the complaint given by the BJP and asked the CM to take action. Constitutionally, this is what the Governor can do," Kodiyeri said.
Kodiyeri also accused BJP of using an unfortunate murder to its advantage. "Laws like POTA and UAPA have been used against CPI (M) workers. There has been no constitutional breakdown in Kerala and the BJP's demand for AFSPA is unjustified," he said.