Kerala: RSS leader hacked in revenge politics

Thiruvananthapuram: In an apparent retaliation for hacking of a CPM worker at Thiruvallam last month, an RSS district leader was stabbed, and his accomplice roughed up at Sreevaraham on Saturday morning. The victims were identified as RSS jilla seva pramukh Jayaprakash, 43, alias JP of Sreevaraham and his friend Seva Bharathi district secretary K. Mohanan, 49. The duo was proceeding to an orphanage run by Seva Bharathi at 7.55. The statement Mr Mohanan gave to Fort Police says they were about to board their vehicle when ten identifiable CPM workers pinned them down at Keppil lane.

Mr Jayaprakash suffered injuries on his leg and back from sharp weapons. He also had head injuries and serious knee cap damage. The suspects fled on motorbikes, and the residents rushed him to the hospital. He is now in the intensive care unit of a hospital at Anayara and will be undergoing knee surgery. The police launched a probe to find suspects led by a DYFI worker identified as Kichu. Alleged RSS men from Sreevaraham area had attacked CPM worker Manoj near Christ Nagar School, Thiruvallam, on November 7,  to avenge an attack on BJP workers during a hartal on October 13.

Poster war ends in street-fight, cops seek restraint

In the wake of the ongoing blood feud between CPM and BJP, the city police has requested district collector to let them end provocative poster campaigns against each other. The hacking of RSS leader Jayaprakash at Sreevaraham on Saturday was the last in a series of violence by both parties. It incidentally came two days after the CPM Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan spearheading a ‘mass movement’ at Azhikotta, Fort, protesting violence by 'right wing' groups in the city.

“The hacked jilla seva pramukh was responsible for all charity works RSS undertakes in the city. His accomplice Mohanan was earlier also attacked and was hacked by CPM workers before four-five years. He still cannot move his arms. Mr Jayarajan and his accomplices Karayi brothers had come to the city and incited this violence,” said BJP spokesperson V.V. Rajesh. The present series of violence began with the attack on a DYFI ambulance belonging to its West Fort unit during a hartal organised by BJP on October 13.

The same day, the DYFI workers roughed up six BJP workers including Sreevaraham councillor Mini R. and Manacaud councillor Simi Jyothish at Kilikkodu near Sreevaraham close to RSS headquarters. On November 7, in a suspected retaliation, a CPM worker named Manoj was hacked and seriously injured near Christ Nagar School, Thiruvallam, by BJP workers from Sreevaraham. Later, a massive pictorial poster campaign and rallies were started across the city by CPM and BJP blaming each other for the violence.

“We have sought collector’s permission to pull down all posters across the city which injects fury. The attack on Mr Jayaprakash is believed to be a continuation of Thiruvallam attack,” said city police commissioner G. Sparjan Kumar. Meanwhile, CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan condemned the violence. “P. Jayarajan was in the city just to address a public gathering to protest RSS violence. We do not endorse violence and has started an internal probe as this is learnt to be a continuation of the attack on our comrade,” Mr Nagappan said.

BJP’s gain in district has situation worse 

The decade long intense fight for political space between BJP and CPM has turned worse ever since the former made rapid strides during local body election. Last year, the district administration had issued prohibitory orders at Pothencode panchayat and Ayirooppara ward of Thiruvananthapuram city under Section 144 of CRPC following the day’s long clashes between CPM-BJP workers ahead of elections.

BJP workers, led by the then state president V Muraleedharan had attempted to hold rally at CPM stronghold of Kattayikonam triggering a fight between both groups. Frequent fight between both sides had become common at Nemom after two CPM workers Sabarish and Abhijith were hacked by RSS men in April, this year. The subsequent violence had seen the arrest of around dozen activists of both sides.

The turning point on the violence happened in 2008 after 11 RSS activists allegedly hacked and killed V. Vishnu, a popular CPM youth activist at Kaithamukku. A similar CPM-RSS fued rages at Kunnathukaal near Neyyatinkara after the killing of a Left party worker at Narayanan Nair at Anavoor in 2013. Prohibitory orders were in force in Neyyatinkara and several attacks happened on the family members of present CPM district Secretary Anavoor Nagappan until 2015.