The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) faces controversy surrounding the construction of a memorial dedicated to two of its members who died while manufacturing explosives in East Chettakandi, Kannur 9 years ago. Following the revelation of a poster announcing the memorial’s inauguration, both the Congress and the BJP have criticized the CPM, alleging that the incident highlights the party’s involvement in bomb-making as a political tactic.
The memorial, erected by the ruling party, commemorates Shaju and Subeesh, residents of Panoor Chettakandi, who lost their lives in a bomb explosion in the politically charged area of Panoor in 2015.
State Secretary M V Govindan is scheduled to inaugurate the memorial during a public event on 22 May 2024. The party’s local committee has planned a large-scale public rally and procession involving party members and leaders as part of the commemoration. Funding for the memorial was raised by the Chettakandi branch committee through donations from party members and supporters in the locality.
K Sudhakaran, the president of KPCC, remarked that the incident reveals the CPM’s stance on terrorism. “The party had distanced itself from the deceased when the blast occurred in 2015. But later, the party observed their death anniversary as martyr’s day. Now, a memorial has been set up for those involved in the criminal activity,” Sudhakaran stated.
“What message is CPM sending to the people of Kerala by setting up a memorial to comrades who were killed while making bombs? CPM is doing the same things in Kerala that terrorist organisations are doing the world over. The fact that the memorial is going to be inaugurated by the CPM state secretary is proof of how much CPM condones terrorism,” He added.
In the meantime, V D Satheesan, the opposition leader, expressed his view that the CPM has transformed into a mafia-like entity, advocating for a culture of bombings and political assassinations. He criticized the construction of memorials for individuals involved in bomb-making, interpreting it as a direct affront to the peace-loving populace of the state.
V D Satheesan said, “CPM in Kerala has been acting as an international terrorist group. They will decide whom to kill and then decide a place and also arrange weapons. They will hire the goondas or criminals or party workers, and they will commit the crime. After committing the crime, the party will save the culprits and someone will be sent to jail and they will protect the family of the person who is jailed. This is the style of a terrorist group. They are encouraging & instructing their party workers to make bombs.”
#WATCH | On memorial building for two CPM cadres killed in bomb-making in 2015, Congress leader & LoP Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan yesterday said, "CPM in Kerala has been acting as an international terrorist group. They will decide whom to kill and then decide a place and also… pic.twitter.com/fQ2LTNC03e
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2024
(With Inputs From TOI)
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