CPI(M) slams Cong, BJP

Ruling CPI(M) in Kerala today hit out at the opposition Congress-led UDF and BJP, alleging that they had conspired to jointly target the state government over police action against protesters here on April 5, days ahead of the Malappuram Lok Sabha bypoll.
In an article in the party organ 'Deshabhimani', CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan described the Congress and BJP as "twins" who came together to attack the government over police action during the agitation by relatives of Jishnu Pranoy, the late engineering student.
In the April 12 Malappuram bypoll, BJP's aim was not only to provide a helping hand to UDF, but it was part of a "long term goal", Balakrishnan said.

Jishnu Pranoy, the 18-year-old engineering student, who was found hanging in his hostel room, was a victim of the "wrong deeds" of the self-financing college management, the CPI-M leader said, adding, the deceased was a teenager who was passionate about communism.
Utilising the name of such a student, effort was made to weaken the LDF government and this political move was surprising, he said.
Using the name of the family, covert attempts were made to isolate the government and even Jishnu's relatives were being turned against the government and chief minister, the leader said.

Those responsible for Jishnu's death should be brought to book and the government will ensure that severe punishment is meted out to them, he said.

Balakrishnan said it was in these circumstances that the LDF had stated that the agitation by Congress and BJP-led fronts and the Kerala bandh on April 6 on the police action was "unnecessary."
The commotion that followed in front of DGP's office on April 5 when Jishnu's relatives launched their agitation was 'created.'
Using the family members, effort was made to isolate the LDF and a political conspiracy was hatched at various levels, the senior marxist leader said.
Police had registered cases against six persons "who tried to fish in troubled waters" during the protest, Balakrishnan said.
It was during the tenure of former chief minister A K Antony, in 2002 that agitations had been banned in front of the DGP's office, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennnithala, said none will accept that there was a 'conspiracy' in the protest led by relatives of the deceased student.