Political violence must stop

Whichever political party indulges in violence to settle scores with its opponent is against the essence of democracy. There is no place for violence in the democracy. Every political party has right to criticize against its rival in politics. But resorting to violence to settle the score with the rival party cadre is a crime. So, it must be dealt as such. BJP charges Kerala Govt. and the Left parties with murdering its political workers. Political violence is not new to Kerala. It has been happening since long. CPI (M) is ruling there and the BJP is trying its best to establish its feet in the state. BJP has launched Janraksha Yatra against the ongoing political violence in the state of Kerala. Violence by any political party to settle scores with opponents is not permissible in the regime of democratically elected govt. in the state. The rule of law is meant for all and it must be enforced to maintain peace and amity in the state. Whether it is BJP, Congress, Left parties or others, the violence committed by anyone is unjustified and outlawed. CPI(M) govt. in Kerala must not allow the anti-social or criminal elements to take law into their own hands. No matter which party the assailants or attackers belong to, the police must act against them under due process of law. It is the responsibility of Pinarayi Vijayan govt. to maintain law and order in the state at all costs. BJP charges the CPI(M) with state atrocities against its cadres. In the recent past, several BJP or RSS cadres have allegedly been killed by the CPI(M) cadres. Meanwhile, political violence continued unabated in the state. Another BJP worker and auto-rickshaw driver Suresh Sudheesh was attacked in Thalassery in Kannur on Tuesday. He has been admitted to a private hospital. The incident took place near Ponniam bridge in Thalassery. BJP has accused CPM workers of the attack. Police are probing the incident. Political violence in Kerala dates back to decades. Since 2001, at least 120 BJP workers had been killed in the state. Of these 84 were killed in Kannur only. 14 of the killings have been conducted in Pinarai, the hometown of Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan.To attract the media and national attention, the top leaders of BJP have taken upon themselves to push CPI(M) govt. into the corner by launching Janraksha Campaign in Kerala against ongoing political violence Democracy does not allow violence. There must be opposition in the democracy. The ruling political party in the state or at Centre must not promote violence with the help of state machinery. CPI(M) is ruling in the state of Kerala and BJP is at the Centre. Both are ruling political parties. Their cadres have clashed against one another frequently with the police as mute spectators. Whether it is BJP or CPI(M) cadre, the killing of anyone is a criminal act. So, violence must not be allowed. No cadre of any political party should be encouraged to resort to violence to settle the issue. BJP has taken the murder of its cadres in Kerala seriously. So, most of its central leaders have joined Janraksha campaign in the state. BJP's Janraksha Yatra, the campaign against the ongoing violence in the left ruled Kerala has entered its second week. Even Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also joined the Janraksha Yatra.Union Minister of State for external affairs, General (Retd.) V. K. Singh has also attended the Janraksha Yatra. He has alleged that nearly 250 people have been killed in Kerala owing to political violence in the state. Union Minister of State for health and family welfare, Ashwini Choubey also led a Janraksha Yatra from Delhi's Arambagh to the CPM office in Gole Market. BJP is taking out marches in various parts of the country protesting the killings of BJP and RSS workers and has accused the communist cadre of the violence. Whoever is responsible for the ongoing political violence in the state of Kerala must be exposed before the nation. At present, it is the duty of the state govt. to provide security to all political activists irrespective of their political affiliations.