BJP, RSS upping the ante on 'political violence' in Kerala

Jaitley to visit Kerala on Sunday to meet families of slain RSS/BJP worker

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the larger Sangh Parivar are upping the ante on the issue of political violence in Kerala. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is scheduled to visit Kerala on Sunday to visit the home of the Rahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker who was killed recently.

Today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani alleged that law and order in Kerala has "broken down". She said Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led government was not taking action against the killing of RSS workers as it was "politically beneficial" for them.

Irani's comments came in the wake of the killing of 34-year-old RSS worker Rajesh in Thiruvananthapuram. BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said 17 Sangh Parivar workers have been killed in the last 17 months due to political violence. The CPI (M) has denied allegations that its cadres were behind the attack on Rajesh.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will visit the state on August 6. Dattatreya Hosabale is scheduled to brief the national press on the issue of communist violence in Kerala in New Delhi on Friday. Jaitley is also scheduled to visit the homes of other BJP workers who have allegedly been attacked.

On Sunday, Kerala Governor P Sathasivam summoned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss the law and order situation in the state. Vijayan later held a meeting with BJP and RSS leaders appealing for peace. 

Yadav said Kerala police has been biased. He said the police aren't doing their job in taking action against the perpetrators.

BJP held its national council meeting in Kozhikode, in Kerala, last year. Issue of "political violence" in the state was raised strongly during the meeting, especially by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.