After a while CPI (M) violence raises its ugly head again in Kerala. They kicked it off in Vasupuram, Thrissur district, by stabbing BJP’s young and dynamic worker Abhilash (32) to death. The inhuman attack took place on September 28. It was a murder sans any provocation. The most significant fact to remember is the cold blooded murder took place on the Thiru Onam day, the auspicious harvest festival of Kerala cutting across the caste and religious lines. RSS and BJP leaders blamed CPI (M) leaders for unleashing violence to frighten its own rank and file and stop them from leaving the party and joining RSS and BJP. It is an acknowledged fact that a real exodus from CPI (M) to Sangh associated organisations has been taking place in Kerala since the Lok Sabha polls of 2014. It was practically proved when the by-poll results of Aruvikkra Assembly constituency hit the headlines by the end of June 2015.
BJP’s senior leader O Rajagopal bagged remarkable vote share in the Aruvikkara by-election to Kerala assembly. He got five times more than what the BJP candidate scored in 2011 assembly elections. Last time BJP tally was 7,694 whereas it increased to 34,145 this time, from 6 per cent to 24 per cent. Aruvikkara assembly constituency belongs to Attingal parliamentary constituency. In the 2014 elections, BJP candidate’s vote share from this assembly segment was about 14,500. Significantly BJP fought against two powerful fronts. Both fronts do have seven constituents each. In another words BJP fought against 14 political parties and also against PDP of the jailed fundamentalist Abdul Nasser Madani. This prompted BJP state President V. Muraleedharan to state that now BJP is the largest single party in the state.
In this context BJP has emerged as a powerful and undisputed political force in Kerala’s political arena and a potential political might to watch. It is as if the history of Bengal is repeating in Kerala. Several CPI (M) offices and CITU (labour wing of CPI (M)) offices are replacing their sign boards with BJP and BMS boards. So CPI (M) is repeating what they did in late 1970s and early 1980s in Kannur district. Those days they went for killing spree to stop the erosion which started during the dark days of Emergency. Because they suffered a lot when their young workers left the party and joined RSS in protest against their leadership who opted not to join the Lok Sangharsh Samiti for fighting against the autocratic Indira regime.
Obviously, the political change post-Aruvikkara by-election and growing number of RSS Shakhas are the reasons for the fresh CPI (M) violence. The assassinated BJP worker Abhilash also was a BJP recruit who left CPI (M) and joined BJP. In fact some CPI (M) workers had tried to attack his organisational colleague Satish on September 27. Both had lodged a complaint in the local police station. But, the police did not take any action on their petition. The RSS-BJP leaders believe that had police taken any action based on the complaint, this barbarous killing would have averted.
Another insult to the injury of CPI (M) was the resignation of CPI (M) workers en masse near Vasupuram. BJP Thrissur district president Nagesh told Organiser that in Thottippal, 260 CPI (M) workers joined BJP. And, the party office was converted into BMS office. Interestingly, Comrade T.K. Velayudhan Memorial building which was painted in red was repainted into saffron. BMS decided to maintain Velayudhan’s name since he was an exemplary political worker.
Wide protests broke out throughout the state in protest of the savage bloodshed. But CPI (M) resorted to attacking the protestors in several places. Their ruthless hand was seen even in attacking the funeral procession of Abhilash. Two BJP workers were seriously injured when they were stabbed in Thodupuzha, Idukki district. The violence in Kannur district is the result of the same fascist modus operandi of CPI (M). The communist goons attacked several houses in Kannur. Even the house of BJP district president Renjith was not spared. After the attacks, more than twenty houses remain totally uninhabitable.
Meanwhile, CPI (M) has launched its usual camouflage tactics. They raise the bogey of RSS violence to play ‘holier-than-thou’. They cite one murder took place in Kasaragod as a specimen of RSS violence. In fact, it was a conflict based on a personal vendetta. The man killed had never been a CPI (M) cadre, but was a former CPI worker who was expelled from the party long ago. As soon as the incident took place even CPI (M) leaders had agreed to the RSS-BJP leaders that it was not a political clash. But, when the popular sentiment rose against the Abhilash murder, CPI (M) decided to use the Kasaragod murder as a cover up!
Three CPI (M) workers have been arrested in Piravom, Ernakulam district, in connection with the murder of Mathew Kurien, a timber worker belonging to CITU. When he refused to attend a CITU meeting he was attacked by the CPI (M) workers. They had got wind of Kurien’s decision to join BMS along with about 20 CITU comrades. And, he was found dead in his house, where he lived alone, on August 15, 2015. It is again nothing but fascist ‘punishment’ for leaving the outfit!
Another example of CPI (M)’s remorseless method is reported from Kannur district. They killed three dogs and hanged them in a lamp post where RSS Zilla Shaareerik Pramukh Manoj was killed by CPI (M) cadres last year. They selected September 1 for this fierce operation as it coincided with the 1st death anniversary of Manoj.
Now, the people of Kerala do realise the evil intention of the ‘red killers’. Even former CPI (M) leaders and leftists keep on attacking CPI (M)’s fascist killings. They use social media for registering their protest. It is a welcome change. BJP State President V. Muraleedharan stated, Kerala can have harmony and peace only when CPI (M) decides to stop their murder politics. State General Secretary A N Radhakrishan told Organiser that CPI (M) is totally upset about the diminishing popularity of their party and growing BJP clout in the state. CPI (M) is against the economic growth and employment generation by Modi regime is bringing in the country. That is why they deploy every trick in the book to hinder the growth of BJP and other RSS associated organisations in Kerala, Radhakrishnan added.
T Satisan (The writer is a correspondent from Kerala)
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