BJP, CPI(M) trying to settle score: Antony

Kozhikode: Senior Congress leader A K Antony today flayed the CPI(M) and BJP for attacks on rival party cadres, saying the two were trying to settle scores by “resorting to blood shedding” after coming to power in the state and the Centre respectively.

Talking to reporters here, he said “both the parties have become arrogant after assuming power and try tosettle scores by restoring to blood shedding of their comrades and swayamsevaks. It should be stopped at least here after”.

The former Defence Minister said without the BJP and the CPI(M) deciding to stop indulging in violence there would not be an end to political murders in Kannur.

“When a political murder takes place, it is the family andrelatives of the victim who suffer. If the political parties concerned realise about the loss of precious lives, then there would not be any political murder.Hence the leadership of both the parties should resolve themselves that the politics of murder should be stopped,” hesaid.

He also accused the functioning of some minority terrorist outfits for the growth of RSS-BJP combine in Kerala.

“Like the RSS and BJP which polarise the people on communal lines, some minority terrorist outfits are also active in the state. It is a dangerous situation in Kerala, a modelstate for secular politics for the country,” Antony said.

He charged the government machinery in Kerala with coming to a standstill due to lack of coordination among the bureaucrats.

Police were not in a position to take actions impartially as the LDF government could not go ahead byoverlooking the decisions taken by the CPI(M), he alleged.

“No other government in the state like the present LDF dispensation has lost people’s faith in such a short period after coming to power,” the Congress leader alleged.

On the alleged phone-tapping and hacking of emails of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau chief DGP Jacob Thomas, Antony said, “tapping of phones of officials without proper permission should be treated as a criminal offence and action should be taken accordingly”.

“Steps will be taken to strengthen the party by bringing back the good old days for the Youth Congress and the Kerala Students Union (KSU)”, he said.

He also made an appeal to DCC presidents to make efforts to bringthe workers and functionaries who left the party and traditional voters back into Congress’ fold.