In two separate instances, cases have been filed against members of the CPI (M) in Kozhikode and Kannur districts for allegedly harassing and attacking two women – one, a former party member, and another, a BJP member.
Suma (33), a native of Perambra in Kozhikode district, has approached the local police alleging that a few CPI (M) members were calling for a social boycott of her family. Suma claimed that this was only a continuation of years of harassment meted out to her family. She quit the party as a member of the Mahila association in 1999 and has since been attacked by the party members, she alleged.
Speaking to TNM, Suma said that her former party colleagues were acting with vengeance.
“In 1999, I was witness to my own party members vandalising the house of a woman from the BJP, who was going to contest in the ward councillor election. When the police came, I gave my statement against my party members. I was too shocked to witness the attack before my eyes and resigned from the party then. But after that, the party members are trying to make our lives a living hell,” Suma said.
In the last 19 years, Suma has filed at least four police complaints against local CPI (M) members for attacking her, but the police brushed off the case each time, she claims.
“Now things are worsening. I am told that they are preparing a mass petition signed by CPI (M) members, asking people to throw me out of this locality. They now call me an RSS terrorist. This is after their attacks on me and my house failed to intimidate us,” Suma alleged.
From pelting stones at her house to vandalising her property at night and pushing her off her two-wheeler three months ago, Suma accused party members Sidhique, Shaiju and Praveen of acting with vengeance.
“They even forced me to join the party again, but I refused. For the things they have done to my family, I will never return to that party. We have told our daughter, who is studying in Koodallur, not to come home, fearing that they would harm her. My son who studies in Class 6 is scared to go to school because party members stop him and intimidate him,” Suma said.
Although the Perambra police confirmed that Suma had filed a complaint on Tuesday, they refused to divulge any details. Meanwhile, the CPI (M) said that they have no knowledge of the incident at all.
A different town, a different attack
In Thalassery in Kannur district, BJP Mahila Morcha president Smitha has filed a police complaint, after her house was attacked in the wee hours of Tuesday. Red paint was smeared over the walls of her house, a DYFI flag erected in the compound and a threatening note was left on the property.
The note threatened to eliminate her and another BJP member, Likesh.
Even as the police said that they were investigating the case, the local CPI (M) has distanced itself from the incident.
Thalassery area secretary MC Pavithran told TNM that party members were not involved in the attack.
“We have no reason to attack her house. Even we have certain suspicions about the incident and have called for a fair probe. Generally, their car would be parked at home all the time, but on the day this attack happened, the car wasn’t there. Why? We suspect this is a result of infighting within the BJP and they are wrongly accusing us,” he argued.