RSS leader blames LDF for violence in Kerala

Gopal denied RSS' involvement in violence in Kerala saying that the organisation believed in "Constitutional" ways and was focusing instead on raising awareness in the country on the "bloodshed".

New Delhi, April 15: A top RSS functionary on Saturday alleged a surge in political violence in Kerala under the LDF government and extended invitation to the communists for an "ideological dialogue" over the issue.

Since the CPI(M)-led LDF government has come to power in Kerala, 19 persons, including 11 RSS workers, have been killed in the state, Krishna Gopal, joint general secretary of the RSS, alleged.

"I call upon the communists to give up violence and come forward for an ideological dialogue and discussion over the issue," he said at a press conference.

Describing the situation in Kerala as "very serious", he said the government needs to come up with a solution to restore normalcy in the state.

Gopal denied RSS' involvement in violence in Kerala saying that the organisation believed in "Constitutional" ways and was focusing instead on raising awareness in the country on the "bloodshed" perpetrated by the communists in the state.

"We do not believe in violence or counter-violence. We have been trying to tell the people about what is going on in Kerala and how the communists are eliminating anyone who has a different ideology," he said.

Gopal claimed that of the 19 persons killed in Kerala in the last 8-10 months, four were Congress workers and four others had left the CPI(M) to join other outfits.

"In the last six decades, over 400 RSS workers have been killed in political violence in Kerala by the communists," said Gopal, who is the number three man in the RSS hierarchy.

Family members of some of the RSS workers killed in Kerala and others who bore the brunt of violence, allegedly perpetrated by CPI(M) workers, were also present at the press meet.

Gopal reiterated the RSS' demand of a visit by an all- party delegation to Kerala to look into the issue of the decades-old violence between the Left and saffron cadres.

The RSS has also complained to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding eight cases of violence in Kerala, while the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights have also been approached with other such cases, he added.

PTI