Kannur violence: BJP holds out olive branch, CPM seeks Modi's intervention

A week after two murders that pushed trouble-torn Kannur district into another round of political violence, the BJP has offered an olive branch and expressed its readiness for talks with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). In response, the CPM state secretary stated that the Sangh Parivar should take the initiative for peace. 

Senior BJP leader and Kerala legislator O Rajagopal told Manorama News that his party and Sangh Parivar were always ready for talks to end the Kannur standoff. 

"We are ready for talks. The BJP and the Sangh Parivar were always ready (for talks). But the ruling party should take the initiative for talks," Rajagopal said.

The BJP leader's statement gains significance as the government has not yet initiated peace talks in Kannur. Whenever there was a flare up in Kannur, the administration used to convene an all-party peace meeting to avoid an escalation of violence. 

Meanwhile, CPM state secretary said that his party was ready for talks if the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh took the initiative. He also alleged that BJP national president was behind the murders in Kannur. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to stop BJP workers from engaging in violence.  

• Kannur violence
• murder in Kannur
• BJP-CPM clash
• O Rajagopal