BJP demands deployment of Central forces in Kannur district

Kochi, Mar 8 (UNI) Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today accused the CPI(M) of unleashing ''state sponsored terrorism'' against the saffron party cadres in Kannur district of Kerala and demanded deployment of Central forces in the area.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Naidu warned the CPM that the BJP would resort to other methods to counter the ''brutal killings'' of its cadre in Kannur.

He said Leader of the Opposition L K Advani had urged Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to deploy central forces in Kannur as the state police was unable to take any action against the CPM members behind the violence.

If the State Government fails to contain the law and order problem, the Centre can intervene under Article 355 of the Constitution and deploy Central forces, he added.

Mr Naidu said a team of BJP MPs would visit Kannur next week.

Warning the CPM of retaliatory attacks elsewhere, Mr Naidu said ''if the BJP resorts to violence in its strongholds, the condition of the CPM would be pathetic.'' On the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, he said the BJP was opposed to it in its present form as it would amount to a surrender of the country's sovereignty to the US.

Accusing the Congress and the Left parties of ''playing hide and seek'' on the issue, he demanded that the government take Parliament into confidence about the deal.

Reacting to the Left parties threats to withdraw support to the UPA Government if it went ahead with the deal, Mr Naidu said the Left parties were only issuing threats but not acting upon them.

Blaming the Congress-led UPA government for the rise in prices of essential commodities, he said it was insensitive to the problems faced by the common man.

UNI ARC ROY YA RN1659