THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress party has condemned the murder of Youth Congress Mattanur block secretary T. H. Shuhaib on Monday night. Leaders, including party president Rahul Gandhi, CWC member A.K. Antony, KPCC president M.M. Hassan and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala called for swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice. Mr Rahul Gandhi in a tweet expressed his condolences to the victim's family and said "May his soul rest in peace."
Mr Antony lashed out at the CPM and said the CPM was showing arrogance of power. "The police have become ineffective before the CPM terror. Murderous and blood-soaked politics is ingrained in their blood. Those who have voted the CPM to power are encouraging violence," Mr Antony said here. He added that the chief minister holding charge of the home department had failed to maintain law and order in his own constituency.
Mr Antony also did not spare the state BJP leadership and said the BJP is all about intolerance and communal fascism and CPM about intolerance. Mr Hassan said that the CPM had again shown its brutal face. "The CPM is trying to evolve Kerala into a war zone by triggering violent politics. This is a murder that happened with the knowledge and permission of the CPM district leadership," he said. The video showing some CPM members shouting "your days are numbered" during their rally at Edayannur two weeks ago was proof for the fact that the CPM was behind the murder.
Mr Chennithala said that the murder had jolted human conscience. "Kannur is witnessing 'red terror,' he added. "So far, 21 political murders have happened in Kannur after the LDF came to power. The CPM is wreaking terror in Kannur by not allowing any other political party to function," Mr Chennithala said. Terming the murder as shocking, former chief minister Oommen Chandy alleged that the violence in Kannur had the silent consent of the state government.
"The killing is part of the CPM's attempt to make Kerala a war zone by turning the CPM-BJP rivalry towards the Congress also. Despite the police knowing about the turmoil in Kannur and Vatakara, they didn't raise a finger. All those who believe in democracy should stand against CPM's killer politics," said Mr Chandy.
Congress leader V. M. Sudheeran said Mr Pinarayi Vijayan had proved to be an utter failure and demanded his resignation.
