BJP flays Kerala Govt on Marad issue

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP in Kerala on Saturday charged the Congress-led UDF government in the state with surrendering to Muslim "extremist elements" by deciding not to go in for a CBI probe into the conspiracy angle of last year''s violence in Marad in Kozhikode district that claimed nine lives.
Addressing a press conference here, state BJP President PS Sreedharan Pillai alleged that the decision was part of efforts by Congress and IUML to regain the lost ground in the wake of the Lok Sabha poll rout.
Terming as "a fraud on people" the Government''s decision to "go back" from the agreement entered into during the talks held between various Hindu and Muslim organisations and Gandhi Peace Foundation representatives to settle the issue, Pillai said BJP had decided to extend full support and co-operation to steps taken by Hindu organisations on the issue.
Countering the Government''s justification that it had decided against a CBI probe as per the advice of the Advocate General, he said as per the information available to the party, there was no legal bar in ordering a CBI inquiry to unravel the conspiracy angle of the incident.
Referring to the inclusion of ''tainted'' ministers in the UPA Government, he said BJP would organise protest meetings and rallies in the state from June 15 to 21 as part of the party''s nationwide agitation demanding removal of the ministers from the cabinet.