Yuva Morcha flays cultural leaders over Marad

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) State secretary S Suresh said that Malayalees have not forgotten what had happened in Marad, especially the tactics adopted by cultural leaders, including Sukumar Azheecode and Justice VR Krishna Iyer, in the aftermath of the carnage.

Speaking on Sunday at the debate organised by BJP Thrissur district study centre on the affairs in Kerala after the revelations in the Thomas P Joseph Commission report, he said that politicians, including Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Opposition leader Oommen Chandy and IUML leader PK Kunhalikkuty were trying to sabotage the proposed CBI probe into the riots.

Cultural leaders like Azheecode were creating ‘intellectual terrorists’ in the State while supporting fundamental groups such as NDF and individuals like Madani, said Suresh. The NDF cadre could be seen working in daylight for the Marxist party, he added.

Citing the case of TO Sooraj, the then district collector of Kozhikode, who was indicted in the Action Taken Report over the commission findings, Suresh said the BJYM was forced to agitate against him as he was still serving as a senior officer in the post of the Industries Department Director. Officers including Mahesh Kumar Singla were removed from their respective posts. The politics behind Sooraj’s stature is that he was deputed in the Industries department during Kunhalikkutty’s tenure and is continuing even under the LDF ministry, he alleged.

Taking a dig at AK Antony, the BJYM secretary said that five intelligence reports had been concealed by the former Chief Minister, who maintained a strict silence on the issue during his tenure. Even the Oommen Chandy ministry concealed the volatile reports during their stint in the State.

Speaking on the occasion, IUML district secretary CH Rashid said the League welcomed the CBI inquiry in the case after reading the Thomas P Joseph Commission report.

BJP district president Sreesan Adiyat, Janmabhoomi daily’s chief of bureau TS Neelambaran and convenor of Study Centre KK Mohanachandran also spoke on the occasion.