Kozhikode: Kerala Chief Minister, A K Antony, should give up his "adamant" stand and order a CBI probe into the May 2 Marad violence to "render justice" to the affected, BJP's (Bharatiya Janata Party) former state president, C K Padmanabhan, said on September 21.

"It is very clear that succumbing to the pressures of a section of the leadership of the Muslim League, the Chief Minister is refusing to order the probe, but he should immediately change his stand and come forward to order the enquiry," he told reporters after addressing the party workers on the concluding day of their 12-day relay fast in Kozhikode seeking a CBI investigation into the violence.

Accusing Antony of pursuing a "secret" agenda on Marad issue to appease the minority community, he said the BJP would not hesitate to take the issue to the roads, if the government continued with its present stand.

"Antony has made Marad incident an issue in the bypoll to the Ernakulam Lok Sabha bypoll to garner votes," he alleged.

The BJP's state committee would organise a protest fast in front of the Secretariat on October 2 in the second phase of the agitation by the party demanding a CBI probe into the incident he added.

PTI