HIGHLIGHTS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A local RSS leader on Sunday joined CPM, snapping his four-decade long links with the sangh parivar, citing demonetisation of high value currency notes as the last straw and “politics of violence”.

P Padmakumar, who served as state secretary of Hindu Aikya Vedi, said here he had decided to join the ruling CPM in the state, after being fed up with “political violence” and “inhumane stand” of BJPRSS. “How many families have been orphaned due to the inhumane stand and politics of violence of RSS BJP?” he said.

“The demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 was the last straw and I decided to quit the outfit,” said Padmakumar, in the company of CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan. He said Padmakumar had been given party membership.
Kerala’s ruling LDF, which has called a statewide shutdown on Monday against demonetisation that has left cooperative banks in turmoil, mean while, decided to exempt the tourism industry from the stir’s purview.