The twin demonstrations undertaken by the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) over the University College controversy brought the city to a halt for around three hours on Thursday. Despite the police adopting alternative arrangements, the barricading of MG Road and other roads that led to the Secretariat inconvenienced the public.
Traffic along MG Road was disrupted as early as 6 a.m. with UDF activists commencing their Secretariat siege. The demonstration affected school students, motorists, and pedestrians. In view of the possibility of the agitators obstructing traffic at Bakery Junction, the police streamlined traffic, with only Secretariat employees being allowed on the road to the Cantonment gate.
Traffic snarls also extended to Kowdiar, Vazhuthacaud, East Fort and Thampanoor. The situation resulted in several people turning up late for work. Many were forced to park their vehicles far away from their offices.
Secretariat blocked
The UDF demonstration, which continued until 1 p.m., raised a host of demands including judicial inquiry into the University College issue and CBI probe into the ‘irregularities in the functioning of Kerala Public Service Commission,’ besides protesting against the price rise, power tariff hike, police excesses and the move to scrap the Karunya Benevolent Fund. All entry points to the Secretariat except the Cantonment gate were blocked by the protesters.
Inaugurating the demonstration, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala flayed the government for replacing the Karunya fund for an insurance scheme, so that a ‘private insurance firm would benefit from it.’ He called Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a tyrant who remained insensitive to the woes of the common man.
In an apparent reference to the lathicharge on CPI legislator Eldo Abraham, Congress Working Committee member Oommen Chandy said that not just the Opposition parties, but the constituents of the Left Democratic Front were also at the receiving end of the police brutalities. UDF leaders courted arrest at the conclusion of the agitation.
Meanwhile, SFI activists and pro-Left University College alumni members organised a rally to counter the ‘attempts being made to malign of the institution and the students’ organisation.’ Many cultural activists took part in the programme held outside the college campus. Filmmaker Shaji N. Karun, who inaugurated the rally, said the college was an integral part of the State’s history and development.
NDA rally today
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will take out a mass rally to the Secretariat raising the University College issue on Friday.
