BJP Calls for Kerala shutdown today after RSS worker’s murder

KOCHI: The BJP has called for a shutdown across Kerala on Thursday following what it claims is a revenge killing by the CPI(M) of an RSS worker in Pinarayi, Kannur. Remith (26) was hacked to death by a group.

On Monday, CPM branch secretary K Mohanan (40) was murdered in the district, for which a case has been registered against eight RSS workers. Kannur has already seen a shutdown for this, called by the Marxist party.

The district is no stranger to the violence that goes hand in hand with politics — Remith being the son of BJP worker Uthaman who was killed 14 years ago. Congressmen say there have been seven political murders in Kannur in the past four months, since the Left Front government came to power.

KPCC president VM Sudheeran has told Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to hand over the home portfolio to someone else in the cabinet. The murders of the past 48 hours have occurred in Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency, with Remith being killed in the chief minister’s home town itself.

BJP leader O Rajagopal said Vijayan cannot escape from the responsibility of the rising violence. The chief minister blames RSS for tensions in Kannur, saying CPI(M) is at the receiving end because it is a secular party.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said leadership of the CPI (M) and BJP should meet. IG Dinendra Kashyap said neither party is ready for any compromise.