The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has chosen not to comment on the controversy surrounding the construction of a memorial building for two persons killed while making bombs in Kannur in 2015. The memorial for Shiju and Subish will be inaugurated on May 22 by CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan.
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Mr. Govindan, in an interaction with the media, deflected inquiries, suggesting that questions should be directed to the district leadership. District secretary M.V. Jayarajan, however, said he had nothing to say.
In 2015, the CPI(M)’s then State secretary had asserted that the party had no role in the bomb-making. The Kannur district leadership has a history of commemorating those who die in blasts by interring them on party grounds and observing memorial days.
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Party’s stance
The CPI(M) leadership’s silence indicates a desire to avoid further controversy. The party’s stance is clear — it does not want to discuss the bomb-related incident and prefers to leave the matter to the local leadership.
Meanwhile, the Opposition, including the Congress and the BJP, continue to criticise the CPI(M). Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran had criticised the CPI(M) for constructing the memorial, accusing the party of sending a dangerous message. He condemned the inauguration by the CPI(M) State secretary as a ‘tacit endorsement of terrorism.’
Recent case
The controversy is further fuelled by a recent incident when a CPI(M) activist was killed in a blast at Panur Muliyath during the Lok Sabha elections. Despite initial denials by the party, Mr. Sudhakaran suggested that a memorial for this incident might also be erected soon.