Poet and social activist Sugathakumari said here on Monday that the advent of toll roads in the State represented the failure of established political movements to take up issues affecting the masses.
Inaugurating a meeting organised by the National Highway Protection Committee to express solidarity with the Action Council against the Paliyekara toll road, she said that the ruling class had surrendered the right to travel to private companies. She wondered why the Left parties had failed to take up the issue.
Social activist Ninan Koshy said Left parties, including the CPI(M), had distanced themselves from popular agitations. “This signals the birth of new movements to spearhead mass struggles,” he said.
State convener of the committee C.R. Neelakantan presided over the meeting. Kanayi Kunhiraman, B.R.P. Bhaskar, Dr. Azad, T. Peter and Paliyekara Action Council convener Moncy spoke.