The chief of the BJP’s Kerala unit, Kummanom Rajasekharan, has been booked on charges of spreading false reports about the killing of an RSS worker in Payyannur on 12 May, police said on Wednesday.
Rajasekharan was booked under IPC Section 153(a) (promoting enmity between groups) on a petition by Muhammed Siraj, district secretary of Students Federation of India, CPI(M)'s student wing, police said.
The state chief had posted a video on Facebook, and had claimed that it was footage of CPI(M) activists celebrating the killing of RSS worker Choorakadu Biju.
CPI(M) workers Rinesh, 28 and KP Jyothish, 26 were arrested from Kannur on 15 May for their alleged roles in the 12 May killing of the RSS worker.
We have arrested two CPI(M) workers. We are still ascertaining as to how many persons were involved in the crime.Siva Vikram, Superintendent of Police, Kannur
The arrests came even as the Centre said it was ‘keeping an eye' on the politically volatile north Kerala district of Kannur.
While accusing the state government of not having “the political will to fight out violence and killings,” Union minister JP Nadda said the CPI(M)-led LDF government should take moral responsibility for such incidents.
“We condemn the attacks on BJP-RSS workers and the political party which has indulged in such activities,” Nadda told reporters in Kannur earlier in the day.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on the other hand, hit out at the BJP for demanding imposition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) in Kannur.
Some people have sought imposition of AFPSA in Kannur, he said, adding that “they would do well to remember that in Manipur, where it had been implemented, 1,528 fake encounters and killings had been reported.”
The victims ranged from a 12-year-old child to a 72- year-old woman, the Chief Minister added. Kerala’s democratic society, which stands for the human rights, cannot accept this, Vijayan said in a Facebook post.
How can a democratic party demand for such a law. The government is committed to take forward the peace efforts and ensure protection for life and property.Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Chief Minister
The RSS worker, Biju, an accused in the killing of a CPI(M) worker, was out on bail when he was attacked on 12 May.
It was the first incident of political violence after peace talks were held between leaders of the CPI(M) and BJP-RSS in Kannur in January.
The BJP'S Kerala unit had submitted a memorandum to Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, seeking action and to declare Kannur a disturbed area and to impose AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) there to maintain law and order.
BJP leader Sobha Surendran continued her attack against the governor, saying he should demit office if he was scared to take action against the chief minister. “Why isn’t the governor visiting Kannur? Why can't he seek a report from the government,” she asked in New Delhi.
(With inputs from PTI)
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