The Congress, which heads the opposition in Kerala, came out with a strong protest against the ‘fall of law and order in the state’ against the backdrop of the double murder in the politically sensitive Kannur district in the state.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, MP Shashi Tharoor along with several other Congress leaders courted arrest at noon after staging a protest in front of the Secretariat on Tuesday. The protest is seen as a major power play by the Congress in which they exhibited their strength after being accused of a weak presence as the major opposition party. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala blamed the government for the fall of law and order in the state. He demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan must quit the home portfolio, accusing the CM of being a big zero.
“Both the CPI (M) and the BJP are killing parties. Both the parties are a curse,” Chennithala said.
The United Democratic Front, the alliance of opposition parties, also staged protests in several district headquarters.
Two political functionaries were killed in Kannur late on Monday bringing the district once again to the forefront of political debate. CPI (M) leader Babu Kannappoyil was hacked to death by a group of unidentified people. Soon after this, clashes broke out between both CPI (M) and RSS-BJP workers, in which BJP activist Shamoj was hacked. He died as he was being rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.
The double murders in Kannur late on Monday night have also brought on a war of words between leaders of various political parties. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that legislation should be brought in to prevent political killings.
CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the death of Babu is the result of a conspiracy by the RSS. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan accused the government ‘for failing to provide protection for the life and property of people’. Kannur MP PK Sreemathi of the CPI (M) said that the BJP and RSS have been trying to destroy peace in the district. CPI (M) Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan alleged that the Mahe police investigating Babu’s death have taken a pro-RSS stand to help the accused in the case.
Meanwhile the dawn to dusk hartal called for by the BJP and the CPI (M) in Kannur and Mahe respectively is in progress. Tight police security has been deployed at both the places to avoid any untoward incidents. DGP Loknath Behera said that the aim was to immediately arrest the accused.