RSS activist's murder: BJP lashes out at Kerala government, accuses of having hidden agenda

Palakkad: The BJP on Friday lashed out at the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala over its “unwillingness” to hand over the case of the recent murder of a young RSS activist here to the National Investigation Agency saying it has a “hidden agenda” to protect the culprits in the case. The saffron party also reiterated the allegation that the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political offshoot of Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), was behind the broad day-light murder and the state police could not conduct a free and fair investigation as the accused has the backing of the ruling party. Union Minister V Muraleedharan visited the house of Sanjith, the 27-year old slain activist, who was hacked to death in front of his wife when he was taking her to her place of work in Mambaram here on Monday, and consoled the grieving family members. He later told reporters that Kerala recently witnessed two murders including that of Sanjith that had terrorist connections and only an agency that has expertise in handling such cases could bring out the truth. “That is why the BJP and RSS are pressing for an NIA probe into the incident. The LDF government is showing reluctance to hand over the case to the NIA as they have a hidden agenda in this regard,” Muraleedharan said. The union minister further charged that the Marxist party government had clear knowledge about the culprits and they were trying to retain the case with the state police to protect them by not bringing them before law. Cautioning against the alleged “Islamic terrorist forces” gaining strength in the southern state, the senior BJP leader also accused the CPI(M) and its government of extending support to them for the sake of votes. The state BJP leadership on Tuesday met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in Thiruvananthapuram with a request that the case be handed over to the NIA. Party state chief K Surendran met the Governor and gave a representation in this regard.