A temple festival in Kerala’s Kannur district has sparked a heated political controversy after flags bearing images of those convicted in the 2005 murder of BJP member Elambilayi Sooraj were waved by CPM workers.
A video of the celebration by CPM workers has gone viral on the internet. The snippet shows a group of CPM workers enthusiastically dancing and waving the flag carrying pictures of BJP member Elambilayi Sooraj’s murderers.
Murderers being glorified by CPM workers in a temple procession in Kerala’s Kannur 👇🏼 👇🏼 the pictures on the flags are the men convicted for the murder of BJP worker Sooraj in 2005 pic.twitter.com/rSe5Yoqf4z
— Akshita Nandagopal (@Akshita_N) April 1, 2025
The BJP’s Kannur leadership slammed the act, accusing the CPM of using religious spaces for political propaganda and glorifying murderers. The contentious flags were waved during the kalasha procession at the Kuttichathan Madom festival in Parambayi on Sunday (March 30) night. The event, featuring DJ performances, slogans, and dancing, took a striking departure from traditional temple celebrations, which typically focus on devotional songs and rituals.
BJP Kannur South district president Biju Elakkuzhi alleged that the display was orchestrated with full awareness of the CPM leadership.
“Temple processions are meant for devotion, not political sloganeering. Yet, in CPM-dominated areas, we’re seeing deliberate attempts to glorify murderers and distort temple traditions,” Biju charged.
He further accused the CPM of systematically exploiting Hindu temples for political gain. “Turning sacred spaces into platforms for celebrating criminals is an outright attack on religious customs,” he stated.
Biju also linked the incident to broader unrest, pointing to recent violence at the Manolikkavu temple festival in Thalassery under CPM’s leadership.
The controversy follows the March 8 ruling by the Thalassery District Sessions Court, which sentenced eight CPM workers to life imprisonment for Sooraj’s brutal murder on August 7, 2005. Among those convicted were T.K. Rajeesh, E.V. Yogesh, K. Shamjith, P.M. Manoraj, and Neyyoth Sajeevan. Three others—Prabhakaran Master, K.V. Padmanabhan, and Monambeth Radhakrishnan—were found guilty of criminal conspiracy.
Investigations revealed that Sooraj had previously been attacked by CPM activists six months before his murder, leaving him with a severe leg injury. After months of recovery, he was targeted again and killed.
Despite the verdict, CPM district secretary M.V. Jayarajan defended the convicts, insisting on their innocence and pledging to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, party workers rallied in support, chanting slogans and following police vehicles as the convicts were transported from the Thalassery court to Kannur Central Jail.
Adding fuel to the fire, CPM-affiliated social media accounts, including Red Army and Porali Shaji, have since circulated videos celebrating the convicts—further deepening the political storm.
