Kochi: Unleashing an acerbic attack on the state government, senior BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan on Sunday said efforts are on to tarnish the image of his party over the Kodakara hawala robbery case.
Rajasekharan launched the attack soon after the police had cited the violation of COVID-19 protocol and objected to BJP holding its core committee meeting in a Kochi hotel. Subsequently, the meeting was held in the party’s district committee office.
The former state president of the BJP said attempts were being made to isolate and destroy the party by launching targeted attacks on leaders.
“We won’t allow such attempts,” Rajasekharan told a news conference, also attended by BJP state president K Surendran and Union Minister V Muraleedharan.
BJP has been attacked brutally from all sides, he said, while alleging government role in police preventing the core committee meeting. He said the party had prior approval to hold the meeting, and the government intervened after all arrangements were made.
Rajashekharan said the incident violated all precedence and fundamental rights, besides denying the freedom to engage in political activities. The intention, he said, was to destroy the BJP since its foundation has been scaring its rivals.
Without referring to reports of division within the party, Rajashekharan said all leaders would take the party forward united.
There were reports of division within the BJP over Surendran’s style of functioning, and the Kodakara case in which Rs 3.5 crore was robbed from a car further deepened the fissures. The money was allegedly smuggled in through hawala channels to fund BJP’s election campaign.
Rajasekharan said the police were hiding the CPI-CPM link in the Kodakara highway robbery case. The move, he said, was to launch a targeted attack after isolating Surendran. He also alleged that the police were being misused to target BJP.
Rajasekharan alleged that the CPM and media were attacking his party. The CPM has adopted a stand against allowing BJP to function. “It’s fascism,” he said.
