A BJP office in Kerala’s Vatakara district was attacked during a supposed protest march by the Indian Union Muslim League on Friday. The Muslim league was said to be protesting against the rape incidents from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao regions.
During the protest, the activists of the Muslim League were reported to have raised provocative slogans against the BJP. During the protest, the Muslim League activists also clashed with the BJP workers. The scuffle though hasn’t resulted in any injuries.
Later the protesting Muslim league activists pelted eggs and stones at the BJP office:
Clashes broke out between BJP and Indian Union Muslim League in Vatakara when the latter was carrying out a protest march against #Unnao and #Kathua rape cases last night. Members of Muslim League pelted stones & eggs on BJP office. No injuries reported #Keralapic.twitter.com/5OxUBAnHrk
— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2018
As a result of this attack, the BJP has called a strike in Vatakara on Saturday. While the media narrative has fuelled the “rapists being shielded” narrative when one looks at the facts of both the cases, one wonders who exactly is shielding the rapists considering the ones being accused of doing so are simply asking for a CBI enquiry.
This incidentally isn’t the only incident of violence against the BJP reported in recent days from Kerala.
Reports have claimed that Saji a Melancode councillor and BJP’s general secretary was attacked in state capital Thiruvananthapuram by bike-borne assailants on Friday. He was travelling along with another BJP leader named Prakash who escaped unharmed.
Following the attack, Saji has been admitted to a hospital where his condition is said to be stable. The BJP has alleged that activists belonging to the CPI(M) and radical Islamist outfit’s political arm Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) are behind the attack.
If reports are to be believed BJP workers have also been at the receiving end of apartheid in the state. Reports have claimed that about 20 houses in Kalamachal falling under the Thiruvananthapuram district have banned the entry of BJP workers. The campaign believed to be spearheaded by the CPM has seen posters put up in front of the houses which read, “Sanghis not welcome in this home. There are small children here”.
