'Govt won't be cowed down by threats’: Kerala CM on Sabarimala row

Thiruvananthapuram: Hitting out at the BJP-RSS for the alleged violence unleashed in the state over the Sabarimala issue, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said his government would not be cowed down by "threats and intimidation".

Vijayan's response came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey said in the Lok Sabha that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government should be dismissed and President's rule imposed in Kerala.

Dubey had, while raising the issue of violence in Kerala, alleged that the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) was practising the "politics of murder" and many BJP workers were its victims.

Talking to reporters, Vijayan said, "Violence is violence and the government will take strong measures to curb it".

"In other states, when you (RSS) unleash violence, no action is taken and even those who commit daylight murders are also not brought to book," he said, adding that "such people will not get protection in Kerala".

The Sangh Parivar workers were trying to destroy the law and order situation in the state, Vijayan said. He further alleged that during the last few days, workers of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had unleashed violence damaging the media and political parties offices as well as public property.

Kerala had witnessed large-scale violence since January 2 when two women in the menstruating age group entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

The chief minister also said the cabinet had decided to bring in an ordinance against the destruction of private property during hartals. "In Sabarimala, devotees have started coming for darshan, which shows there are no law and order issues," Vijayan said.

So far, 2,182 cases have been registered in connection with the violence unleashed in Kerala and 6,711 people have been arrested till this afternoon, police said in a release.

Of those arrested, 5,817 have been granted bail and 894 persons have been remanded.