Congress refutes CPM charge that it was behind AKG Centre attack

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Thiruvananthapuram: Hours after an unidentified person allegedly hurled an explosive substance at the state headquarters of the ruling CPM here, the opposition Congress on Friday categorically rejected the Marxist party's charge that they were behind the incident and said attacking the political opponent's office was not their party's policy.
In his reaction, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan said the party leadership had no knowledge of the midnight incident and would let the police investigate and ascertain the truth.
Alleging that the people of the state clearly know that the Congress party and its workers were not the ones who plan and execute such attacks, he asked the ruling party to explain on what grounds they were levelling charges against them.
"The CCTV visuals were not clear... Let the police probe and find out the real culprits. The Left government is facing a series of allegations and they are on the defence due to our ongoing protests. Those who want to shift the attention and focus from the present issues are the ones behind the attack," he told reporters.
Asked whether he was suspecting that CPM itself was behind the attack, Satheesan did not give a clear reply.
"It is an important day for us due to Rahul Gandhi's Kerala visit. Do you think we would attack the AKG Centre and shift the focus from the present issues being faced by the government?" the Leader of Opposition asked.
KPCC chief K Sudhakaran also rejected the Marxist party's allegation and accused LDF Convener E P Jayarajan of 'masterminding' the attack against the party headquarters.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the party offices of the Congress and CPM in various places in the wake of the incident.
Tension gripped Kerala as an unidentified person allegedly hurled an explosive substance at the state headquarters of the ruling CPM Thursday night.
Police said the explosive substance was hurled at the AKG Centre, situated in the heart of the capital city, by a motorbike-borne man at around 11.30 pm.
CPM leaders, who reached the spot alleged that it was a "bomb attack". Some party leaders, who were staying at the AKG Centre, said they heard a powerful blast outside the building.
Senior CPM leader and LDF convener E P Jayarajan, who stays in the neighbourhood, alleged that the Congress was behind the provocative action and appealed to the CPM workers to remain calm.
Stones, torch hurled at Kottayam DCC office
Kottayam: A burning torch was tossed at the District Congress Committee (DCC) office here early on Friday during a protest march against the attack on the CPM headquarters, AKG Centre, hours before by an unidentified miscreant.
The windowpanes of the office were shattered when the protesters, apparently CPM activists, reportedly pelted it with stones around 1 am. A video, purportedly of the incident, has emerged on social media.
Senior Congress leader and Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan alleged that the DCC office was attacked under police protection. He offered to provide the visuals of the incident if the police could not find the miscreants.
He added that apart from assigning four policemen to the DCC office for its security, authorities could not arrest the perpetrators of the crime.
Radhakrishnan alleged that the attack was planned and the miscreants had come armed with stones and lighted torches. Daring the police to arrest the culprits within 24 hours, he added that Congress workers would stage a satyagraha in front of the Gandhi statue.
(With inputs from PTI)