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New Delhi: The attack on the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) central office here had its echo in parliament on Monday with almost all parties barring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemning it as an "attack on democracy".
The BJP was virtually isolated when the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as well as its own allies condemned the incident, in which a mob, allegedly of BJP workers, attacked the CPM headquarters on Sunday.
Embarrassed BJP MPs trooped to the well of the Lok Sabha (lower house) raising slogans against CPM, forcing the proceedings to be adjourned abruptly. In the Rajya Sabha (upper house), members of the BJP and the Left parties indulged in a verbal clash leading to a half-hour adjournment.
While the Left as well as the UPA constituents termed the incident as a "fascist move", the BJP and the Shiv Sena alleged that the CPM-ruled Kerala and West Bengal were witnessing "state-sponsored terrorism".
Clashes
A 250-strong mob attacked the CPM office, injuring 10 Left activists and eight policemen. The mob was apparently reacting to clashes between the CPM and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Kerala's Kannur district, where seven people were killed last week.
On behalf of the government, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee condemned the attack and said: "Political parties are an integral part of the system.
"The incident of vandalism and violence is deplorable," he said, adding that the government would share the details of the police investigation as and when it gets them.
Although Mohammad Salim of the CPM raised the issue at noon, the BJP MPs kept disrupting him and then Congress chief whip Madhusudan Mistry, who spoke on the issue.
Salim alleged that BJP MPs led a march to the party office and indulged in violence without any provocation.
Mistry alleged that the BJP leaders were protecting the culprits. "The RSS should be banned in this country. It is promoting violence everywhere," he said.
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