Vol. XL No. 47 November 20, 2016
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Exhibition on RSS Violence in Kerala

A TWO-DAY exhibition titled ‘Mounting Terror: The Real Face of the RSS’ giving glimpses into the history of the violent attacks by the RSS on the CPI(M) cadre in Kerala, was held in New Delhi on November 16-17. The exhibition organised by the Kerala state committee of the Party seeks to call the bluff of the RSS/BJP which, using the Goebbelsian tactics of repeating a lie a hundred times, is fallaciously portraying itself as the victim. The Party has been targeted because the RSS/BJP sees it as a bulwark foiling its communal and regressive agenda.

The 76 panel exhibition was put up at the Deputy Speakers Hall, Constitution Club. It will also be displayed in various other states, as part of the campaign.

A booklet detailing the RSS attacks in the state, prepared for the occasion was also distributed. The booklet is available at the CPI(M) headquarters at A K Gopalan Bhawan.

Inaugurating the exhibition Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary said that the motive of conducting the exhibition was to counter the false propaganda indulged in by the RSS that the CPI(M) is resorting to violence against it, whereas the truth is to the contrary. This needs to be exposed before the people.  Violence is very much ingrained in the RSS. “The terror experiment practiced by the RSS in Kerala, is part and parcel of their fascist agenda of converting our secular democratic republic into a theocratic State”, he said. And since it is the CPI(M) that stands as a bulwark and foils its designs, the RSS continues to target the CPI(M).

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan traced the history of the violence indulged by the RSS in Kerala. He said around 200 CPI(M) activists have been killed and 300 injured seriously over the years. He said after the LDF government assumed power in the state, six activists of the CPI(M) have been brutally killed; over 200 attacked and seriously injured. More than 80 houses and 35 Party offices have also been attacked and destroyed. By maintaining a studied silence, the Congress and the UDF, are lending their approval, he added.

The chief minister while pledging the CPI(M)’s commitment to putting an end to this political violence, outlined the reconciliatory measures that the Party and the LDF government had taken. He however, regretted that the RSS and BJP are unwilling to send their representatives to attend talks to end this violence, leading to the failure of such talks. 

CPI(M) state secretary and Polit Bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan underlined that the formation of the LDF government winning 91 out of the 140 assembly seats in Kerala has proved that the base of the secular forces is very strong in the state. This is not to the liking of the RSS, which despite strenuous efforts over the years has been unable to increase its influence among the people of the state.  Underlining that these attacks are not restricted to the district of Kannur alone, he said that 33 comrades were killed in Thrissur district while 23 were killed in the district of Thiruvananthapuram.