Date:19/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/19/stories/2008101952010300.htm

Kerala

New ways to tackle troublemakers Law & order

A concerted effort is needed to put an end to the frequent clashes between political parties in rural areas of Kozhikode, writes Biju Govind

Recurrent clashes between political parties and organisations in the rural areas of the district have prompted the Home Department to devise new ways to tackle the problem. One of the measures adopted is to organise meetings at the grassroots involving local leaders and frontline activists.

Anti-social elements in political parties are fomenting trouble in the region, said K. Natarajan, Superintendent of Police, Vadakara. Usually clashes take place between the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the CPI(M). Incidents occur in the interiors of Vadakara, Thamarasery, Nadapuram, Edacherry, Valayam and Peramba police stations limits. There were 20 police stations attached to nine circle offices under the jurisdiction of the Vadakara rural police.

The police were able to avert incidents if minor skirmishes occurred in the town areas of these stations. In spite of the police registering cases and bringing to book the culprits behind the incidents, there was no respite to the growing number of cases, Mr. Natarajan said.

In the latest episode, on Wednesday, houses of six BJP workers were attacked with country-made bombs allegedly by CPI(M) at Chemmarathur. This was in retaliation to the attacks carried out by the BJP activists on two CPI(M) activists on the previous day.

Nearly 50 cases of clashes had been reported in the rural areas of the district in the past two months, according to official records.

This was a disturbing trend since these areas were not only politically but also communally sensitive.

Mr. Natarajan said community policing had been launched in a few police stations. But this alone had not solved the problem. A concerted effort by the district administration, Police Department and political parties was needed to change the situation.

A study conducted by the department in the trouble-hit areas a few years ago revealed that the conflict between political parties or organisations had more to do with economic disparity between communities than political affiliations.

It was found that only the women folk of a particular community go for work. The men folk usually above the age of 35 years found solace in social activities or political activities. It was found that a section of emerging neo-rich and the middle class employed in Gulf countries was contributing to the economic gap in these areas, an officer said.

Another factor is that children have been taught to confine to their community and not to mingle with other groups. Apart from that, young people have been recruited to organisations and political parties robbing them of a chance to plan a career, he said.