THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday alleged police brutality against party workers at a temple near Edapazhanji a day earlier and demanded a response from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
In posts on social media platforms X and Facebook, Chandrasekhar claimed that BJP workers were assaulted by police at the Edapazhanji Shri Balamurugan temple, where they had gathered peacefully for a 'Mathapadashala Samithi' (faith education committee) meeting. He demanded action against the officers involved.
Terming the incident "state-sponsored violence," the BJP state chief claimed it was unacceptable and driven by fear of impending electoral defeat. "This is not law enforcement. It is a targeted and prejudiced abuse of state power," he said, alleging that in Vattiyoorkavu, "CPI(M) police were carrying out coordinated attacks" on BJP karyakartas, turning the force into "political enforcers" and leaving party workers hospitalised.
"These desperate acts of violence are being committed out of sheer fear of impending electoral defeat. No democracy can tolerate this. The BJP/NDA will not remain silent. We will launch a strong public protest," he said.
"I demand the immediate suspension of, and strict legal action against, every official involved. The CM, who heads the Home Department, must answer," Chandrasekhar said, sharing a video of an injured party worker.
His posts came a day after police took six BJP workers into custody in connection with allegedly attacking police personnel on Sunday, following a clash between BJP and CPI(M) workers over a property dispute between two relatives at Malamukal.
According to police, three officers were injured in the clash. Following the incident, police registered a case against 94 BJP and CPI(M) workers.
Police officials said the clash stemmed from a land dispute between two relatives-one a BJP worker and the other a CPI(M) supporter-who had filed a complaint and a counter-complaint against each other.
The situation escalated after workers from both parties took sides and clashed, during which the intervening police team was also attacked, officials said.
Police later registered a separate case against over 100 BJP workers in connection with a protest held outside the Vattiyoorkavu police station on Sunday night.