The ongoing agitation of local residents of Keezhattur spearheaded by a section of CPI(M) workers against the alignment of a proposed bypass in defiance of the party leadership here has pushed the district unit of the party to take on the protest politically amid attempts by rivals to take political advantage of the stir.
The agitation at Keezhattur, a CPI(M)-dominant area in the Taliparamba municipality, against the bypass alignment that the local residents fear will destroy the paddy fields has already drawn attention of the party’s rivals. A resident and farm hand Nambradath Janaki has been continuing a hunger strike since September 22 when local activist Suresh who began the fast over two weeks before was arrested and admitted in a hospital.
The visit of BJP leader P.K. Krishnadas to the venue of the fasting on Saturday has rendered a political colour to the agitation. The BJP national executive member in his address to the agitators drew a parallel between Nandigram in West Bengal and Keezhattur. He said the government was turning a blind eye to the demand of the local farmers who were agitating for protecting their livelihood.
In an apparent response to the BJP’s move to reap political harvest from the agitation largely backed by a section of the local CPI(M) workers, the CP(M) leadership here sprang into action to counter the allegations and explained the party’s stance on the issue.
Party district secretary P. Jayarajan, local MLA James Mathew and K.K. Ragesh, MP, visited the area on Sunday morning to address a public meeting there. They told the public that the alignment was decided by officials avoiding areas having large number of houses and constructions. The agitation was triggered by a misleading campaign, they told the people.
“The agitation has become a platform for anti-CPI(M) sections that have political agenda,” Mr. Ragesh told The Hindu . While the party would deal with it politically, it also favoured attempts to address the concerns of the local people, the MP said adding that the party, however, cannot accept the stand that was against the development of the National Highway.
As the CP(M) leaders were addressing the public, the agitators gathered near the agitation venue in support of the fasting protesters. CPI(M) loyalists backing the agitation said that CPI(M) leadership’s adamant stand that there would be no change in the bypass alignment cannot be accepted. They said attempts to smear the agitation had already been under way with anti-agitation posters appearing in some places in the areas. The posters stated that there was infiltration of RSS-BJP in the name of the agitation, they said.
