KOCHI: Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara might have won a million hearts across the globe, but certainly not that of K.A. Asharaf of Kochi.
On the 50th anniversary of Che Guevara’s martyrdom, the 62-year-old businessman from Chakkaraparambu here is engaged in a protracted legal battle with Che aficionados of the region to get the bust of the guerrilla leader removed from the roadside.
The legal tussle over the bust began on October 9, 2009, the death anniversary of the medical doctor-turned-revolutionary.
On this day, Che Guevara Boys, an NGO formed by left-leaning youths of the area, installed the bust of the slain leader on the sidewalk of Vakkat Road, a narrow pocket road that runs parallel to the Kochi-Madurai National Highway.
The senior citizen’s grouse is that the bust was illegally installed on a small parcel of land he had surrendered to the civic body for creating a bell curve to ease traffic.
However, the bell curve could not be developed as an electric post was erected next to the bust.
Since then, Mr. Asharaf has been moving all authorities, including the Kochi Corporation, Ombudsman for Local Bodies, the State government, and the Single and Division Benches of the High court of Kerala, to get the bust removed.
But its continuance there is an emotional issue for former DYFI regional secretary P.X. Jose and his comrades, who installed the bust.
“For us, it is a matter close to our heart, and we will guard it at any cost. Any attempt to remove it will be resisted,” vouched Mr. Jose.
“The bust is located on the side of the pavement without causing any obstruction to traffic. The petitioner has been trying to settle personal scores with the youths of the area under the pretext of removing the bust,” he said.
Incidentally, on the direction of the High Court, the Town Planning Officer had inspected the statue in 2013 and reported that it need not be removed as it did not cause inconvenience to pedestrians, vehicles, and even the complainant.
The case of Mr. Asharaf will come up again before the civic body this week after a Division Bench of the High Court directed him to approach the corporation.
Much money and time has been spent on litigation. But Mr. Asharaf is unrelenting and is determined to get the bust removed, while Mr. Jose and comrades have resolved to fight till their last to protect it.
