RSS worker's killing: Kerala guv asks CM to take action

Thiruvananthapuram/Kannur: A day after an RSS worker was hacked to death in Kannur, Governor P Sathasivam on Saturday asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take immediate action to end incidents of political violence.

Terming yesterday's incident as "very unfortunate", Vijayan said the government would take steps to bring before law those responsible for the killing of 26-year-old Choorakad Biju at Payyanur in the politically volatile district.

"Concerned persons have to be cautious to see that the situation is not turning worse. The government will make all efforts to bring the guilty before law," he told reporters at Kannur.

Slamming the government, BJP state president Kummanom Rajasekharan described the killing as "brutality" and alleged that CPI(M) workers were behind it.

Vijayan said every one should see the incident as an isolated one and ensure that it does not become a hurdle for peace efforts in Kannur district.

Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BJP in Kannur and nearby Mahe to protest the killing was "near total" and passed off without any untoward incident with police maintaining tight vigil, police sources said.

Shops and business establishment remained closed and vehicles kept off the road.

The slain RSS worker was an accused in a case relating to the killing of CPI(M) activist C V Dhanraj in 2016.

Police said a case was registered today against seven "identifiable" persons in connection with his killing.

Earlier in the day, a three-member BJP delegation met the governor at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvanathapuram and submitted a petition, seeking action on the killing of the RSS functionary.

The delegation was led by former union minister and MLA O Rajagopal.

A Raj Bhavan statement said the governor forwarded the petition to the chief minister, asking him to take "immediate necessary action to put a curb on such disturbing incidents."

"It is necessary to send a positive signal to peace- loving citizens of the state," the statement said.

The delegation also sought implementation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the violence-hit areas of Kannur by declaring them as disturbed areas.

The petition claimed that since the present LDF government came to power, the Sangh Parivar lost 14 of its core workers in nearly 500 attacks by workers of the ruling CPI(M).

The petition also alleged that the state government was supporting the perpetrators of violence in Kannur district, the Raj Bhavan release added.

Congress leaders also condemned the the episode and wanted both the BJP and CPI(M) to eschew violence.

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy said it was the government's responsibility to take the lead to end political violence in Kannur district.

Biju's killing was the first such incident since peace talks in January this year in the district, that has witnessed a series of clashes between ruling CPI(M) and RSS over the past year.

Union minister Giriraj Singh slammed the LDF government over the political violence, alleging that "terrorism" and "Gunda Raj" were prevailing in the state.

The Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was speaking to reporters at Kottayam. He was visiting BJP workers who were admitted to a hospital here after allegedly being attacked by CPI(M) men at Kumarakom two days ago.