The State government’s decision to invite the leaders of the Anti-GAIL Pipeline Action Committee also for discussing the public concerns associated with the GAIL pipeline works has kindled fresh hope among the protesters, who did not resort to any aggressive campaigns at the construction sites on Sunday.
Two of their representatives will attend the meeting to be held at the Collectorate here on Monday under the leadership of Industries Minister A.C. Moideen.
'No compromise'
The action committee leaders held a separate meeting on Sunday to finalise their immediate priorities to be tabled before the State government and the GAIL authorities. They made it clear that there would not be any compromise on the stand to stop the pipe- laying works in thickly populated residential areas as it was the key demand of the State-level protest. Those who attended the meeting too stood for adopting a firm stance on it without succumbing to any pressure tactic.
“We consider this invitation as a result of our 37-day intensive campaign mobilising the local residents against the project that challenged the security concerns of the land holders in Mukkom. We will attend the discussions with a positive mind and the future course of action would be planned after the government’s final decision,” said Basheer Puthiyottil, vice chairman of Anti-GAIL Pipeline Action Committee in Kozhikode district. He said the government that previously stood firm against any interaction with the people’s committees on the issue was finally changing its mindset sensing the struggle of the poor people.
Though the protesters withdrew from the scene following the government’s new stance, the rural police continued their search on Sunday for those who were accused of damaging public property during the recent anti-GAIL protest in Mukkom. Two persons were arrested on the charges of spearheading the attack against the police. The action committee leaders claimed that the two arrested had no involvement in the incident. They also alleged that the police were targeting innocent people after visiting their houses and terrorizing their family members.
