BJP to hold mega roadshow in Kerala against political violence

By Brajendra Nath Singh

Kannur (Kerala), Aug 11 (IANS) To keep the heat on the Left government in Kerala over killings of BJP and RSS workers, the BJP will hold a "mega roadshow" after Onam to be attended by top leaders including President Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states.

After the killing of RSS office-bearer E. Rajesh on July 29 in Thiruananthapuram, the BJP has stepped up its attack on the Left Front government, accusing it of escalating political violence in the state aimed at crushing the BJP and RSS.

The roadshow will begin from Kannur and proceed to Thiruvananthapuram early next month.

"After Onam, our Kerala President Kummanam Rajashekaran will begin a 460-km 'Padyatra' from Kannur, probably on September 8, that will culminate at Thiruvananthapuram after covering 10 districts," a BJP leader here told IANS.

"We are giving final shape to the programme but it is sure that Amit Shah will flag off the yatra and address a huge gathering at its culmination," he added.

Apart from senior union ministers including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states will join and address the yatra.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already visited Thiruvananthapuram and met Rajesh's family.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has just one member in the 140-seat Kerala assembly, is also planning to take up the issue of political killings with the National Human Rights Commission as well as the ST and SC Commissions.

"Most of our victims are from the SC, ST and OBC community," BJP's lone legislator O. Rajagopalan told a group of journalists from Delhi.

He said the recurring attacks on BJP and RSS activists were a desperate attempt by the Left, particularly the Marxists, to finish off the political opponents.

"They are more desperate now as our influence is growing. They feel their future is bleak. So they want to eliminate all their foes," Rajagopalan said.

Rajagopalan, the senior most BJP leader in Kerala, dismissed the so-called peace talks offered by the state government.

"Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state CPI-M Secretary K. Balakrishnan are themselves accused in the murder of BJP workers. Now, they are in power. What can we expect from them? In public gatherings they preach peace and tolerance but in reality practice the opposite," he said.

The CPI-M, which heads the Left Front, has denied any links with those accused of the July 29 murder who have already been arrested. It also alleges that the RSS and BJP are more involved in violence in Kerala but pretend to be the victims.

(Brajendra Nath Singh can be reached on brajendra.n@ians.in and kbrajendra@gmail.com)