CPM state secretary defends his eye for an eye speech

State secretary of Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPM), Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, justified his controversial speech at Payyanur in Kerala in which he urged party workers to retaliate in kind in the face of attacks from rivals. 

Also read: CPM Kerala secretary preaches eye for eye; justifies political murders

Speaking to media on Thursday, Balakrishnan claimed that there was nothing wrong or illegal in his speech. The Indian Constitution supports the right to self-defence when under threat. "I am ready to face legal action for making that speech," he said. IPC 96 and IPC 300 (Exception-2) clearly state that everyone has the right to self-defence. There was nothing illegal about my speech, he argued.

"I am not concerned about any legal action in this regard," The CPM Politburo member said. "I am ready to go jail for making that speech," he added. 

The CPM leader found himself in the line of fire after he urged his party men not to let abusive political rivals walk free. The party should have a system to counter-attack rivals at the local level. The party workers should be given physical training to respond to violence, he had stated.  
 

Also read: Also read: Blood-curdling history of Kannur's political factionalism
 

The Congress and the BJP strongly criticised the speech and demanded that the CPM leader be prosecuted for supporting violence. Interestingly, not many from the CPM leadership justified the state party secretary in the matter, except  P Jayarajan, the Kannur district secretary of the party. 

• Kerala CPM state secretary
• CPM Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's speech
• Payyannur speech of Kodiyeri