Kerala: Congress on hunger strike, demands end to violence between RSS, CPM

In the backdrop of a spree of violence between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) members in Kerala spurred by the death of an RSS activist, the Kerala unit of the Congress Party on Sunday staged a protest demanding peace in the state.

Many Congress leaders including party's state president MM Hassan and Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Ramesh Chennithala are on a hunger strike in Kozhikode.

A 34-year-old RSS leader was murdered in Kozhikode on Saturday night. The police has so far detained eight people in connection with this case.

The BJP has blamed the CPM for carrying out the attack.

However, CPM state secretary Kodiyery Balakrishnan has maintained that his party members were not responsible for the murder and castigated the BJP for creating law and order problems in the state.

"The probe shows the attack against RSS worker is not a political killing. The main accused Manikandan is not a CPM member. His father is an INTUC worker. Those who are in custody are from various political outfits, one is from BMS also," Balakrishnan said in a press conference.

"Within last two weeks two cases were registered against the victim and the main accused for personal rivalry. BJP is trying to create law and order problems in the state," he added.

According to police, Rajesh's left hand was chopped off in the attack, which took place around 9 pm on Saturday.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh dialed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressing concern over the prevailing law and order situation in the state.

He called on the Kerala Chief Minister to nab the perpetrators and bring them to justice expeditiously.

Rajnath took to his twitter handle to inform about the same and wrote that 'political violence is unacceptable in a democracy'.

"Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinrayi Vijayan today regarding the recent incidents of political violence in the state," he tweeted.

The State Police Chief said, the Police forces have been instructed to strictly deal with any attempt to create violence and adequate force have been deployed in all sensitive spots.

On July 11, an RSS office at Payyannur in Kannur was attacked allegedly by CPI (M) workers. No one sustained injuries in the incident.