Kodiyeri Balakrishnan of the CPM has been accused of inciting violence in Kerala's Kannur.
Highlights
- A CPM and a BJP worker were killed in Kannur in retaliatory murders
- On Sunday, Mr Balakrishnan said CPM should respond to attacks
- Boys and Girls should be taught martial arts, he had said
Political parties in Kerala have hit out at the ruling CPM, protesting against the "inflammatory speech" of its state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in politically volatile Kannur.
Payyannur is where a CPM and a BJP worker were hacked to death in front of their families two weeks ago. Local workers from both parties have been arrested for the retaliatory murders. The killings have even found an echo in the state assembly earlier this month, with members of the Congress-led UDF staging a walkout.
But on Sunday, addressing his party workers in Payyannur, Mr Balakrishnan had said, "Anyone who comes to attack us must not be able to go back the way they came. This must be ensured in all places. Our young boys and girls should be given training in martial arts."
The Congress has hit out at the CPM, alleging that the party heading the state government is "inciting violence" in Kannur. The BJP has filed a complaint with the police, demanding action.
"An open call for violence by CPM state secretary is against all legal standards and norms. The state government must initiate action," said state Congress ch9ief VM Sudheeran.
What the CPM state secretary has done is a call to his party workers to unleash violence against their political enemies and this will destabilise the law and order situation in Kerala, his party has said.
After meeting the police to file their complaint, BJP state vice-president George Kurien said, "We want peace in Kannur and we will resort to legal measures. We have filed a complaint with the police and the Director General has assured of an unbiased investigation. This is not just inciting violence, it an open call for propagating murders in the name of politics".
Speaking in the assembly about the recent killings, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the opposition not to generalise things by citing the example of what he called isolated incidents.
"There is no breakdown of law and order in the state," he had said. "The government is committed to taking stern action against persons responsible for violence irrespective of political party consideration."