THALASSERY (KERALA): The tension sparked off by the murder of BJP-RSS activist Ilamthodath K Manoj, allegedly by CPM men earlier this month at Kathiroor, near here, is poised to take a decisive turn with the proposed visit of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to the area on Friday.
Rajnath Singh will visit the slain activist’s house and meet his relatives as well as Sangh Parivar loyalists. Coinciding with the crucial visit, plans have also been drawn up for taking over the probe in the murder case by the Chennai unit of the CBI. Rajnath’s visit would undoubtedly send a message that the Centre will not remain a mute spectator to the intermittent political killings in Malabar region.
The Union Minister is reaching here for the sole purpose of visiting Manoj’s relatives and BJP-RSS men. His arrival is bound to instill a confidence in the Sangh Parivar fold and soothe the families of many victims who had lost their lives over the years. It may also hand out net negative results in the form of political retaliation and violence as the BJP had proved in the past that it can match the CPM on it.
Unlike in the TP murder case, that the CBI has not shown any reluctance to probe the Manoj case is also notable, reflecting the mindset of the BJP Government, when compared to the earlier Congress-led UPA dispensation. The Union Home Minister had dialled Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on the very same day Manoj was murdered and had sought immediate action.
The top CPM leadership had gone on the defensive and has been on guard over the emerging scenario. Apparently aware of the repercussions and political pitfalls in store, especially after being put in the dock over the murder of RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and other leaders in the Kannur brigade of the party are seemingly desperate to dissociate themselves from the murder. At the same time, as if not to let down the cadre and families of CPM martyrs, Pinarayi has stated that regional issues might have led to the killing of Manoj.
The top CPM leadership had been insisting that the murder of Manoj had nothing to do with them, but nobody believes it. For, the first accused Vikraman is known as a willing orderly of party big shot and Kannur secretary P Jayarajan. The murdered Manoj, a CPM turncoat, was convicted in the case of attempted murder on P Jayarajan but was out on bail with a pending appeal against the trial court verdict.