An all-party peace meeting convened under the leadership of Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty on Monday called upon the people to stand united for peace and to reject the overtures of communal groups trying to create divide in society.
The meeting, convened in the wake of two back-to-back murders of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers on Friday and Saturday in the district, decided to initiate dialogues between the district administration and religious organisations to ease the tension.
The meeting pointed out that the police had enhanced their Intelligence measures to prevent recurrence of any retributive actions in the district. Mr. Krishnankutty said that both the murders were of extremist character, and the police would make strong and decisive interventions to avoid their recurrence.
The meeting pointed out that dispelling people’s fear was the main objective. Toeing the police line, the meeting said preventing planned murders would be extremely difficult. “We are trying the best to avoid any recurrence of such incidents. People should stand united for peace,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) walked out of the meeting, saying that the meeting was a farce. It blamed that the government was supporting the killers. The BJP said that all the accused were not arrested even five months after the murder of RSS worker A. Sanjit.
The Minister said that the BJP had come to the meeting with a plan to stage a walkout. “Nothing can be done if one comes to the meeting with the decision to walk out,” he said.
However, BJP district president K.M. Haridas said in a statement here that Mr. Krishnankutty was misleading the people. He said the BJP had expressed its views at the meeting, and walked out saying that it was futile continuing in it, especially as the police had not arrested anyone in connection with Sreenivasan’s murder.
Mr. Haridas accused Mr. Krishnankutty of failing to control the meeting, in which V.K. Sreekandan, MP, and N.N. Krishnadas, former MP, had locked horns over comments about police Intelligence breakdown.
District Collector Mrunmai Joshi; Ramya Haridas, MP; MLAs Shafi Parambil, K. Babu, P.P. Sumod, K. Premkumar, K. Santhakumari, and P. Mammikutty; Subcollector D. Dharmalasree; Additional District Magistrate K. Manikandan; and District Panchayat president K. Binumol spoke.
Ms. Joshi said that a meeting of SDPI, RSS, Popular Front of India and BJP representatives would be convened in a few days.
