Arun Jaitley slams Kerala govt for 'political violence', calls RSS man's killing 'barbaric'

The Union minister said Kerala and its people had a huge potential and that the state needed peace, deserved a peaceful environment, civility and democracy "at its very best".

Arun Jaitley said Kerala and its people had a huge potential and that the state needed peace, deserved a peaceful environment, civility and democracy "at its very best". Photo PTI (File)

Thiruvananthapuram: Attacking the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala for the increasing attacks against BJP-RSS workers, Union minister Arun Jaitley today alleged that incidents of violence always increased in the state, whenever the LDF came to power. He also charged that the political opponents of the ruling dispensation were being killed in a most "brutal and barbaric" manner in the state and added that it was the state government's responsibility to ensure that those indulging in violence were brought to book. "Every time the LDF comes to power, the incidents of violence increase. The political opponents are killed in a most brutal and barbaric manner," the Union finance minister told reporters. "It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to book and a deterrent punishment is slapped on them," he said. The police too were expected to be fair and if these two things did not happen, the incidents of violence would not end in the state, he added. Jaitley paid a visit to the relatives of Rajesh, an RSS activist who was killed in the state recently, here this morning. "You corner an innocent victim, catch him when he is alone and inflict multiple wounds on his body," he said after visiting the bereaved family. He added that a large number of BJP-RSS workers were getting killed in Kerala. "The state BJP president escaped by a whisker, while the police were silent spectators. The houses of our workers are being attacked and quite a few them are getting injured in the attacks," said Jaitley. He added that he was "saddened" by what he had heard and seen in the southern state as it should sadden every Indian. The Union minister said Kerala and its people had a huge potential and that the state needed peace, deserved a peaceful environment, civility and democracy "at its very best". "Any aberration is an exception and it can be condemned and the culprits punished. But, when it becomes a series of incidents, it vitiates the atmosphere of the state, its people, economy and as a result, democracy suffers," said Jaitley.