Take serious steps to curb political violence: CPI to CPI-M

HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over continuing political violence in north Kerala, CPI today told CPI(M), leading the LDF government in the southern state, to take serious steps to curb such incidents of attacks.
"It's a matter of serious concern", CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI on the January 18 incident, in which a BJP worker was stabbed to death allegedly by CPI(M) activists at Andaloor in Dharmadam, the constituency of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

But Reddy hastened to add: "As a matter of fact, BJP is doing Goebbels propaganda. Actually, more Left people are attacked by the BJP than the BJP people (attacked by the other side). But unfortunately, it (attacks) is taking place from both the sides (BJP and CPI-M). This is a matter of serious concern".

On what would he tell CPI-M to do, he said, "I think there should be proper discussions, then the government should take more serious steps to control this and both the parties (BJP and CPI-M) should also restrain their people from going into this kind of continuous attacks".

He said the initiative aimed at curbing political violence should come from CPI-M since it's a "bigger party and because they are leading the government."

Reddy disagreed with a perception that there is spurt in political violence whenever Left comes to power in Kerala.

"I don't think it's correct. As a matter of fact, when the Left is in Government, it would be more careful not to escalate this type of things", he added.

Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had alleged that there have been eight political murders after the CPI(M)-led LDF government came to power in May last year.