CPI(M) leader Sanoop U was hacked to death on Sunday night (4 October) reportedly by a gang of RSS, Bajrang Dal and BJP workers. Sanoop belonged to a Dalit community, and was the Joint Secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India’s (DYFI) Chovvanur Area Committee. Sanoop is the fourth left activist killed in Kerala by right-wing forces in the past seven weeks. The right forces are emboldened by their faith that the mainstream media would come to their aid as usual by playing down the murders of communists, as if communists are lesser human beings. Even sections who are otherwise vocal about atrocities against Dalits largely tend to ignore the murders of Dalits who are communists, as evidenced by reactions to the murder of DYFI activist Asok in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu in June 2019. [Read more]
