Kerala: CPI targets Chief Secretary for terming Maoists as terrorists

The Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary Kanam Rajendran on Wednesday hit out at Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose for terming Maoists as terrorists, who do not deserve basic human rights.

"The Chief Secretary's action is contempt of court. A magisterial inquiry is already underway. If it was done without the permission of the government, then they must look into it," Rajendran told media persons here.

The Chief Secretary in a leading English daily wrote an article titled "It is like war: kill or be killed" and explained how Maoists should rightly be termed as terrorists and how state action against these terrorist elements is wholly justified.

Jose also asserted that Maoists do not deserve basic human rights.

Rajendran said: "It was not appropriate for the Kerala Chief Secretary to write such an article."

"We are not supporting the Maoists, but who is giving the law enforcement agencies the right to shoot them," he asked.

Last week, four Naxals were killed allegedly in an exchange of fire started by them during a two-day police combing operation in Palakkad district.