Dalit woman and autorickshaw driver Chitralekha’s plans to have a home of her own remains a dream. It is alleged that local CPI(M) worker had been harassing Ms. Chitralekha, a native of Edat, near Payyannur, since 2005. The previous UDF government had allotted a plot for her at Kattampally in the Azhikode Assembly constituency to construct a house.
However, the LDF government’s decision to revoke the previous government’s decision to offer her a financial assistance of ₹5 lakh for constructing a house on the allotted five cents of land has come as a big blow. Moreover, she fears that she will not be allowed to return to her house at Edat and stay there peacefully.
Help offered
An Abu Dhabi-based cultural group of Keralites has offered her help. “Though a foundation has already been laid on the plot at Kattampally, I am not in a position to construct the house because of the government’s revocation of the earlier order,” Ms. Chitralekha said at a press conference here on Wednesday. Even at Kattampally, she was facing hostilities from local CPI(M) workers, she alleged.
Ms. Chitralekha is now living with her family in a rented house at Kattampally after she had to leave her house at Edat following alleged attacks and harassment by local CPI(M) workers. Last year her autorickshaw was vandalised outside her Edat house.
Now the Abu Dhabi-based Green Voice has offered to construct the house at Kattampally following the intervention of IUML leader and Azhikode MLA K.M. Shaji. The first instalment of ₹2 lakh was handed over on Wednesday, the MLA said at the press conference.
“The Sangh Parivar’s decision to observe hartal in Mangaluru on February 25 to protest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit there that day was fascism,” Mr. Shaji said adding that CPI(M) condemnation of the RSS decision lacked sincerity when others like Ms. Chitralekha were not allowed to live peacefully by its own local party workers.
Green Voice president Jaffar Thangal was also present at the press meet.
