Congress says LDF claim that it protects minorities is hollow, seeks CBI probe into its worker’s murder

The murder of Youth Congress functionary Shuhaib at Edayannur in Kannur on February 12, by a group of suspected CPI(M) workers, has come at a most inopportune time for the CPI(M) as it has driven the Congress to echo what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been highlighting — that the CPI(M) is resorting to ‘red terror’ in Kannur and elsewhere in the State.

The Sangh Parivar, the CPI(M)’s main rival here, saw the murder as an endorsement of its campaign that CPI(M) is intolerant to its rivals in the district.

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the district was witnessing the tyranny of red terror.

CPI(M) district secretary P. Jayarajan, who condemned the murder, equated Mr. Chennithala’s charge with that of the Sangh Parivar. In the Left Democratic Front circles here, the murder has caused unease.

Communist Party of India district secretary P. Santhosh Kumar said elimination of political rivals was uncivilised. He visited Shuhaib’s house.

The murder has given an opportunity to the BJP to buttress its contention that the CPI(M) is solely responsible for the political violence in the district, LDF sources say.

A major embarrassment to the CPI(M) is the Congress charge that the murder has rendered hollow the claim of the CPI(M) that it is fighting the Sangh Parivar to protect the minority communities.

Congress leader K. Sudhakaran’s demanded on Thursday that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Addressing a 24-hour fast by Youth Congress leader Joshi Kandathil here on Thursday, Mr. Sudhakaran said the party did not believe that the killers of Shuhaib would be arrested.

He alleged that there had been an attempt to eliminate Shuhaib when he was in remand custody a few weeks ago after a clash between KSU and SFI workers.

He was shifted from the sub-jail to the special sub-jail here for this purpose.

The former MP said had taken up the matter with the Director General of Police (Prisons) and Shuhaib was brought back to the sub-jail.

‘Probe progressing’

District Police Chief Shiva Vikram G. said the investigation had made good progress. “We will know the intention only after the accused is arrested,” he said.

The First Information Report, prepared on the basis of the statement of one of the injured, said the attack had been carried out by four CPI(M) workers who used crude bombs and swords. The attackers had inflicted 36 stab injuries on Shuhaib.