BJP-RSS cadres attacking, killing our men in Kerala, says CPI-M

The CPI-M on Friday accused the BJP-RSS cadres of attacking and killing the Left party's workers and supporters in Kerala and accused the BJP of "doublespeak".

"The BJP leadership is indulging in doublespeak on the clashes between CPI-M and BJP-RSS workers in Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala," the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) said in a statement.

It alleged that since the formation of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the southern state, "13 CPI-M workers and others have been killed by RSS-BJP men, more than 200 party members and sympathisers injured and hospitalised, and over 165 houses and 51 party and other offices attacked, set on fire or vandalised".

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier urged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take adequate measures to stop the clashes.

The Chief Minister had convened a meeting of the state leaders of CPI-M and Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh combine on July 31 to discuss ways and means to ensure peace.

The meeting decided to hold similar meetings in three districts as a follow-up. An all-party meeting is also scheduled for August 6, the CPI-M said.

"It is at such juncture that BJP central leadership and a Union Minister have raised baseless and partisan allegations against the CPI-M in Kerala. BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav and Union Minister Smriti Irani have even questioned the sincerity of the Chief Minister's initiative that has yielded results," the Left party said.

Saying that the Union Home Minister adopts one position while another Minister and BJP leadership take a contrary stand, the CPI-M said: "This clearly shows that the BJP-RSS leaders are not keen to see peace is restored and there are no political clashes."

It said BJP-RSS began their attacks the very day assembly election results in Kerala were announced in May 2016.

"The game plan is clear -- resort to provocative actions and uncalled for physical assaults against CPI-M workers and then cry that the CPI-M is resorting to violence and also blame the Kerala government for not stopping such attacks," the CPI-M said.