A recent incident involving Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres celebrating with provacative flags displaying photographs of individuals convicted in the 2005 murder of BJP member Elambilayi Sooraj has sparked a significant controversy. The Kerala BJP severely condemned the act.
The flags, featuring the images of all the convicted individuals, were displayed during the Kuttichathan Madom festival in Parambayi as part of the kalasha procession on Sunday (30 March 2025) night. The procession, which included DJ performances and other events for the ‘kalasham varavu’ ritual, saw party workers waving the flags while chanting slogans and dancing. Footage of the procession, later shared on social media, stood out as it deviated from the typical festival celebrations in Kannur, which usually feature party flags and symbols.
BJP Kannur South district president Biju Elakkuzhi criticized the act, claiming that the display of the murder convicts’ images and the chanting of slogans during the procession occurred with the full knowledge of the CPI(M) leadership. He noted, “Temple processions traditionally feature devotional songs, but in CPI(M)-dominated areas, they are promoting slogans and songs that glorify murderers. This is a deliberate attempt by the CPI(M)leadership to undermine temple customs.”
Biju further accused the CPI(M) of politicizing Hindu temples. “Glorifying murderers within temple premises is an attack on religious traditions,” he added.
BJP leaders also suggested this was not an isolated event. Biju pointed out that similar violence occurred recently at the Manolikkavu temple festival in Thalassery under CPI(M)’s leadership.
In a related legal matter, the Thalassery District Sessions Court in Kannur sentenced eight CPI(M) workers to life imprisonment on 8 March for their involvement in Sooraj’s murder on 7 August 2005. The convicted individuals included T K Rajeesh, E V Yogesh, K Shamjith, P M Manoraj, and Neyyoth Sajeevan, who were found guilty of murder. Others, such as Prabhakaran Master, K V Padmanabhan, and Monambeth Radhakrishnan, were convicted of criminal conspiracy, while Puthiapurayil Pradeepan was sentenced for helping the accused evade capture after the murder. Nagathankota Prakashan was acquitted due to a key witness turning hostile.
Investigations revealed that Sooraj had been attacked by CPI(M) activists months before his murder, suffering severe injuries. After a lengthy recovery period, he was attacked again and killed. Initially, 10 people were named in the case, but two more suspects were added after Rajeesh, later arrested in connection with the murder of T P Chandrasekharan, confessed.
Following the court’s verdict, CPI(M) district secretary M V Jayarajan defended the accused, claiming their innocence and announcing plans to appeal the verdict in a higher court. Party workers were seen chanting slogans and following the police vehicle carrying the accused to Kannur Central Jail.
The controversy was further amplified when unofficial CPI(M)-affiliated social media accounts, including Red Army and Porali Shaji, began circulating videos that glorified the convicted individuals, further intensifying the backlash.
(With inputs from The New Indian Express)
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