Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday condemned the attack on a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker from the state and said political parties should ask workers to keep away from such assaults.
“Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed unfortunate incidents in the past two weeks,” he said while speaking to reporters after meeting Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS leaders. “Houses of people’s representatives and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s state secretary were attacked. We should not allow such incidents to happen again.”
BJP Kerala President Kummanam Rajashekharan, RSS regional head Karyavahak P Gopalankutty, BJP’s lone MLA in Kerala O Rajagopal and CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan attended the meeting with Vijayan.
“Party offices and workers’ houses cannot be attacked,” Vijayan said. “Political parties should be more vigilant and ask workers to keep away from attacks. The leaders have decided to educate cadres against getting involved in violence.”
The CPI(M) and “sangh parivar” have decided to take adequate measures to end political violence in the state, the chief minister said, adding that an all-party meeting will be convened in Thiruvananthapuram on August 6.
The CPI(M) state secretary said leaders from both sides will sit across the table in different parts of the state to chalk out plans to end violence. “Leaders from both parties will discuss the issue in Thiruvanananthapuram and Kottayam tomorrow,” Balakrishnan said.
The BJP’s state unit chief said the party and the RSS will cooperate with the government to find peace in the state. “But the government should ensure organisational freedom for political parties,” Rajashekharan added.
On Sunday, Governor of Kerala P Sathasivam had summoned Vijayan and Director General of Police Loknath Behara to discuss the reports of political violence in the state. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also called Vijayan on Sunday to speak about the law and order situation in Keral.
RSS worker Rajesh Edavakode had died at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday after attackers had chopped his palm off. The police had said CPI(M) workers were suspected to be involved in the attack.
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