Centre warns of criminal action against CPM office attackers

NEW DELHI: Centre on Monday warned it would initiate criminal proceedings against those involved in Sunday's attack on CPI(M) office here, but rejected BJP's demand for action against Left-ruled Kerala which has witnessed political violence recently.
    
Home Minister Shivraj Patil, however, assured the Rajya Sabha that the Centre would hold talks with Kerala government for restoration of peace in the state where two CPI(M) and five RSS workers were killed.
    
His assurance came after an impromptu debate in the House on yesterday's attack, which the Left parties alleged was engineered by the RSS and BJP, whose members said the root cause of the incident was violence against their cadres in Kerala.
    
"Anybody who has committed a crime will be proceeded against.....You can rest assured this will be done," Patil said responding to members' concerns over the attack on CPI(M) headquarters.
    
As regards Kerala, the Home Minister said while the Centre would hold talks with the state government, it was not possible for it to start an inquiry into the incidents. "It is not possible for the Government of India to start an inquiry. ....Then I will be doing it for other states also," he said adding that the federal structure has to be respected.