The Festival Coordination Committee, a body of organisers of various festivals in the district, has called for a hartal in Thrissur on Thursday in protest against the restrictions in the conduct of festivals. Various political parties, including the Congress, BJP, and the CMP, have expressed solidarity with the hartal.
Hartal-supporters demanded permission from the district administration for conducting fireworks in connection with religious festivals. The government should protect elephant parades and fireworks, which are an integral part of the festivals in the State, the committee said.
The committee threatened to limit the pooram festivities with a namesake ritual, parading just an elephant, if the authorities refused to change their decisions, including lifting of the ban on Uthralikavu Pooram fireworks.
The committee would also start a day-night agitation in front of residences of the three Ministers from the district from February 26 in protest against their apathy to the issue. The agitation would be strengthened by coordinating various Devaswoms and religious institutions, said committee State general secretary Valsan Chembakkara. A fast was observed at Uthralikavu by the coordination committee and regional committees on Tuesday urging the administration to lift the restrictions on fireworks of Uthralikkavu Pooram.
