Kerala Govt. is 'biggest patron of murderer of opponents': RS Prasad

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday questioned the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)-led Kerala Government as to why they were not taking any action against the "cycle of violence and murderer of opponents" in the state.

"We are very proud for our party president that he has taken the lead in giving a peaceful opposition to the politics of murder massacre unleashed by the CPI-M led government. 100 of our workers have been killed in Kannnor," Prasad told ANI.

"Since P Vijayan became the Chief Minister of Kannoor, 13 BJP and Sangh workers have been killed. The police are under him. Then why no action has been taken? Why is the left party only the biggest patron of the cycle of violence and murderer of opponents," he added.

Yesterday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah held Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directly responsible for killing of party and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) workers in the state.

"Look at the West Bengal's and Tripura's situation, the communists ruled here long. Peaceful Kerala is turning violent and the communist ideology is spreading here. More than 120 BJP and RSS workers have been murdered in Kerala so far. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is directly responsible for it. So we are taking out this 'Janaraksha Yatra' against the political violence in the state," Shah said.

Shah had said that party's ambitious 'Janaraksha Yatra' is to create awareness against political murders.

The BJP's 15-day padayatra will span across 154 km, covering 11 districts of Kerala. It will be their first major public demonstration in Kerala as it attempts to make inroads into the state's electoral politics.

Shah's yatra in the district against the political violence in the state kicked off from yesterday and will conclude on October 17.

BJP president lashed out at Kerala's Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and blamed the party for supporting political violence in the state as he flagged off the Janaraksha Yatra in Payyannur.

Addressing the gathering here, Shah said, "End of the CPI-M will herald the end of political violence. Wherever CPI-M ruled - be it Kerala, West Bengal or Tripura - political violence followed. Also, more than 120 workers of the BJP had succumbed to death in Kerala due to political violence."

Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, MPs Suresh Gopi and Richard Hey, former Karnataka Education Minister C T Ravi, BJP Puducherry president V Swaminathan, and many other BJP leaders and workers joined the foot march.

Several more union ministers are likely to participate in the rally under the theme of "All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror".