Marad riots: Kerala to push Centre for CBI probe again

In what was the worst communal flare-up in the history of Kerala, eight Hindus were hacked to death in the coastal village of Marad near Kozhikode. An assailant was also killed in the violence.

The CPI(M)’s plan to make another round of request for a CBI probe has political significance. The special court, where the Marad massacre case is under trial, is slated to pronounce the verdict on November 29. The judicial inquiry report had rapped the previous Congress-led government for its reluctance to order a CBI probe. The report had made adverse remarks about the role of two leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League, a Congress ally, in the carnage.

Besides, the Commission had recommended action against the then Kozhikode District Collector, T O Sooraj, city police commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Patjoshi and IG Mahesh Kumar Singala, who headed the crime branch probe. The collector and the commissioner had failed to take notice of the intelligence inputs warning a flare-up, the report stated.

By once again urging the Centre to order a CBI probe, the CPI(M) is attempting to put the IUML on the defensive vis-à-vis extremism. It may be recalled that when several quarters had sought a CBI probe into the massacre in 2003, IUML had vociferously protested the move. The then Congress government had ordered a state crime branch investigation to keep the IUML in good humour.

In the recent exposure on Kerala’s alleged terror links with Kashmir militants, investigations had thrown light at the role of several activists of the Peoples Democratic Party. This had embarrassed CPI(M), which wanted to enter into a tie-up with the PDP. PDP claims to have a decisive votebank in Ponnani, now represented by IUML leader and Union Minister E Ahamed.

The CPI(M) had blamed the right wing Muslim outfit National Development Front for its alleged role in making Kerala a terror-breeding state. At the time, IUML, which so far remained unhurt in the terror exposure, thought the situation to be conducive to take on the CPI(M), which has been hobnobbing with extremist organisations.

The CPI(M) feels that a CBI probe would take the wind out of the IUML-sponsored campaign against terrorism targeting the PDP. If the Centre spikes the demand for the probe, the CPI(M) could then resort to the allegation that the Congress wanted to protect IUML leaders involved in the conspirancy behind the massacre.