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Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008
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Attack on CPI(M) office: BJP seeks probe

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V.V. Krishnan

Anger on the street: Activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staging a rally in New Delhi on Monday in protest against the attack on the party’s national headquarters by activists of the BJP and the RSS.

NEW DELHI: Proclaiming its innocence, the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Monday demanded a judicial inquiry into Sunday’s violent incidents outside the office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and said that a parliamentary delegation should be sent to Kerala to study the pattern of violence there.

Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said an all-party parliamentary delegation should be sent to Kerala to study and report on the kind of brutal violent clashes that have been taking place between the CPI (M) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh/BJP. He said the violence was especially serious in Kannur and demanded the resignation of Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. “We demand that the State government take firm steps to deal with this violence.”

Earlier, BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra demanded a judicial inquiry into Sunday’s violence in Delhi. While he admitted that a demonstration to protest against the violence in Kerala was held, and that BJP elected councillors were present, he held the CPI (M) leadership responsible for the stone throwing. His allegation was that stones and bricks were “stored” in the CPI (M) office and these were thrown at the demonstrators. He was asked why the protesters went to the CPI (M) office in the first place and damaged the cars of leaders and broke the window panes of their office.

Mr. Malhotra said a judicial inquiry should be ordered and a full debate on the incident should take place in the Parliament. “Why are they [the CPI-M] shying away from a discussion?”

Mr. Naidu alleged that the Congress government had acted in a partisan manner.

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