Tension prevails in Kozhikode as CPI (M)-BJP clashes continue. BJP has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Saturday while CPI (M) hartal on Friday witnessed violence at different places in the district.
BJP called for the hartal protesting against the attack on Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and RSS offices in the district allegedly by CPI (M) workers.
During the hartal on Friday, offices of the BJP and that of its allied organisations such as the BMS came under attack.
On Friday, CPI (M) called hartal as its district office was attacked in the wee hours on the same day.
It was at 1.15am on Friday, after CPI (M) district Secretary Mohanan visited the district office that steel bombs were hurled at the office. One of the bombs exploded just behind Mohanan, who was outside the office. The other bomb landed in the office compound but did not go off. Mohanan alleged that the attack was a deliberate attempt to kill him.
On Friday, BJP had also called for a hartal in rural Kozhikode, Vadakara, Koyilandy, Kuttiyadi, Nadapuram and Perambra protesting against the attack on the RSS office at Vadakara on Thursday night.
For the last two days, the political party offices have been attacked, following which violence and vandalism has been unleashed in the district. During the violence on Friday, two media persons were attacked and cameras were destroyed. Hartal supporters forcibly downed shutters of shops in the city. Private vehicles including two wheelers were stopped and some vehicles were also pelted with stones.
Even in the rural areas, CPI (M) and BJP workers engaged in violence by destroying party flags.
CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that it was after the visit of BJP chief Amit Shah that the violence had suddenly spiked in Kerala.