What happened in Kannur? -- Shri Mohanrao Bhagwat

Press release : RSS Sarkaryawah Statement on Kannur

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh
Keshav Kunj, Jhandewala, D.B. Gupta Marg, NEW DELHI – 110055
Ph: +91 (11) 23670365, 23538171 Fax: 23679914 Mob: +919811567067 E-mail: rammadhav@rssdelhi.com

14 Mar 2008

Statement issued by the Sarkaryavah -

Sri Mohanrao Bhagwat on the violence in Kannur

Five RSS activists have been killed and scores grievously injured in renewed attacks by the CPM cadres since 5 March 2008 in the North Kerala district of Kannur. Houses of more than 40 Swayamsevaks have been destroyed in this violence.

It is claimed that the Communist Party of Kerala was formed in Pinarayi in Kannur district and the Party considers this district as its bastion. The RSS work was started in 1943 in this district and continued peacefully for more than 25 years. Many CPM workers were attracted to the RSS work and joined in large numbers. However, unable to tolerate its growing strength the CPM resorted to murder politics since 1969. Sri Ramakrishnan, a daily wage earner and the Mukhyashikshak of Thalassery (Vadikkal) who faced the Communist terrorism courageously and started several Shakas in and around Thalassery, became their first victim and was brutally killed in 1969. Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, present State Secretary of CPM who hails from this district, was one of the main accused in that murder case. The present Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who also hails from this district, was an accused in the murder of another Swayamsevak Sri Karimbil Satheesan.

So far more than 60 Swayamsevaks have been killed by the CPM in this district alone. Even aged women were also not spared. On May 22, 2002 Smt. Ammu Amma (72 years) was killed in a bomb attack by CPI (M) workers while she was returning in a jeep after attending the funeral of a Swayamsevak Sri Uthaman, who was killed in the CPI (M) attack the previous day.

Peace Efforts

The RSS had all alongwelcomed and supported all peace efforts. In order to avoid further violence, the founder of the BMS, Sri Dattopant Thengidi and Sri P. Parameswaran, the the Director of Deendayal Research Institute, Delhi had discussions with Communist stalwarts like EMS Namboodripad and Ramamurthy in Delhi. The leaders of the RSS and the CPM had similar discussions in Kerala too. But before the ink on the peace declaration dried up, there were unprovoked attacks on RSS cadres. Committed to maintaining peace the RSS had agreed to sit with the CPM leaders again and sign a document for peace in 1999 at the initiative of the highly respected Js. Krishna Iyer and the then Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar. However, just two days after this initiative the CPM cadres attacked the State Vice President of BJYM Sri Jayakrishnan Master and murdered him in a most gruesome manner in front of small children in his class room. Peace conferences became totally ineffective with no positive result whatsoever.

But for several years, despite serious provocation the RSS stuck to its commitment of maintaining peace and never retaliated. However it resulted in loosing a number of good activists only while the CPM became more brutal. Whenever they are in power in the State their brutality crosses all limits with the help of obliging Government machinery.

The latest killing spree that started in March claimed the lives of 5 Swayamsevaks so far. On March 5 (Sivarathri day) Sri Sumesh, Thalassery Taluk Sharirik Shikshan Pramukh was attacked near Thalassery town. He lost his left hand and is still in Intensive Care Unit. Sri Sumesh always used to represent Sangh in the peace conferences. On the same day a Swayamsevak Nikhil (22), a lorry driver and the sole bread winner of a poor family was killed. Another Swayamsevak, Sri Sathyan, a mason, was virtually dragged away from his work place and beheaded. His headless body was thrown by the wayside near his house. On the very next day i.e. on March 6, 2008 Sri Mahesh of Kuthuparamba was hacked to death. His head was also severed off. Again on the next day i.e, March 7, 2008 Sri Suresh Babu of Kodiyeri and Sri K.V.Surendran (65) of Illathuthazha were brutally assassinated. Thus within 3 days 5 young lives belonging to the working class were taken away. More than a dozen youths have been maimed and become handicapped.

Honest Officers not tolerated

Honest Police officers were never tolerated. On Jan 12, 2008, one CPM worker Sri Dhanesh was killed by some unknown miscreants. The CPM accused the RSS, but the DySP in charge of the investigation Sri Habeeb Rahman categorically stated that RSS was not at all involved in this murder. Immediately afterwards that upright officer was transferred from the district. On Jan 26, 2008, one notorious criminal Jijesh was killed. His nickname 'Veerappan' itself reveals his nature. Again CPM blamed Sangh. In both the cases the RSS district leadership had promptly rebutted the charges in press conferences. DSP Sri Manoj Abraham after investigation stated that NDF (a Muslim extremist organization) was involved in it and RSS was innocent. Again that no-nonsense officer was also transferred summarily.

Shakha Ban in Kannur

There is a virtual ban on Sangh shakhas by the CPM in the areas of their dominance in Kannur. The basic right to conduct organization work is being denied not only to the RSS but to all other political parties including Congress and CPI. Examples are so many.
The shakha at Engayilpeedika at Kodiyeri, the home-town of State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was attacked and disallowed to function by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's nephew and his henchmen 8 years ago. Since then repeated attempts to restart the shakha there have been foiled by the CPM cadres. The CPM is also enforcing a code- a kind of Section 144 - applicable to swayamsevaks in that village. If they want to live there they should not meet or even sit together. They should walk around or travel alone. They should not be seen in public when the home minister visits the area. The fate of the shakha at Kodiyeri is not an isolated one. There are up to 50 places in Kannur where the Sangh is not allowed to hold shakhas. Any attempt to 'violate' this ban would be met with brutal force.

KPCC president Ramesh Chennitahla during the last elections had brought out a report in which he cited that in 265 booths in Kannur district no party agent except that of the CPM was allowed to sit.

It is noteworthy that the judiciary has, on several occasions, reprimanded the State Police for not preventing such human rights abuses by the CPM cadres in Kannur. Particularly scathing were the observations of the High Court a couple of days ago, which openly said that only the presence of Central Forces can restore normalcy in the region.

It is to highlight these acts of Stalinism and fascism of the CPM that some members of the RSS and other organisations including a large number of women spontaneously marched in a peaceful manner to the CPM HQ in Delhi. Betraying their Nandigram-style intolerance the CPM cadres repeated what they have been doing in Kannur – attacked the peaceful demonstrators with brickbats and chairs – resulting in unfortunate violence on the Delhi streets.

I appeal to all the right-thinking and peace-loving citizens of the country to raise their voice against this fascist and Stalinist face of the CPM in the larger interest of our democracy and freedom. I call upon the RSS Swayamsevaks allover the country to stand by our Swayamsevak brethren who have become victims of the brutalities of the CPM and expose the true nature and face of it which has no place in a country with such a hoary tradition of tolerance and pluralistic ethic.

As far as the RSS in Kerala is concerned, it would zealously guard its Constitutional right of freedom of expression, association and propagation.


( Yogesh Bapat )
Secretary to Sarkaryavah