Violence: Ker CM should relinquish Home portfolio: Congress

Congress today attacked ruling CPI(M) and BJP over continuing incidents of political violence in Kannur district and asked Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to relinquish the Home portfolio, saying the department has 'lost' control over police. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President V M Sudheeran accused both the parties of trying to turn Kerala, known for its peaceful life, into a strife-torn state and urged their activists to lay down arms.
Both parties should stop the blame game and try to fulfil their responsibility to people, he told a press meet here. "Both CPI(M) and BJP are on the path of violence. Political murders are happening back to back. Political violence and clashes galore. Amassing of weapons have become widespread. Both CPI(M) and BJP are doing all these," he said.

The KPCC President's statement comes two days after a bomb was hurled near the venue of a public meeting of CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in Kannur.
Ten persons belonging to BJP-RSS had been taken into custody in this connection yesterday.
Urging the leadership of both parties to restrain their cadres from indulging in violence, Sudheeran also said police had not been able to function effectively to check crimes including murders and political clashes. "The Home Department has lost control over police. It has already been proved that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cannot handle the Home Department effectively. So, he should not delay relinquishing the Home portfolio," the leader added. He also asked the state government to take immediate steps to check the price hike of rice in the market and continue the existing ration system in the state.