A day after tribal women’s collective Thaykula Sanghom in Attappady has decided to put a temporary halt to their fortnight-long agitation demanding closure of a Tamil Nadu liquor shop across the State border at Anaikatti, its leaders said they would resume the agitation after a gap of one month if the Kerala authorities fail to prompt their Tamil Nadu counter parts to shift the shop from the locality.
“District Collector P. Marikutty has sought one month’s time to close down the liquor shop. She visited us at the agitation venue and said Tamil Nadu wanted one month to complete the formalities for shutting the shop. She said Coimbatore District Collector Archana Patnaik had given an assurance in this regard,’’ said Sanghom leader Maruthi.
“If they do not shift the shop within one month, we will lay siege to the shop,’’ she said.
Parties support them
The agitation involving over 300 women from Attappady won wide attention when they blocked traffic on the Mannarkkad-Attappady-Coimbatore route several times. Almost all political parties and social organisations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu had extended support to them.
“The Collector said the government was not in a position to provide police security to the agitation as the Assembly election is nearing. She also said there was no need of a written agreement from Tamil Nadu side as both the Collectors jointly decided to initiate the process for closing down the shop,” Ms. Maruthi said.
As total prohibition exists unofficially in Attappady, the Tamil Nadu shop at Anaikatti has been doing brisk business with sales crossing Rs.5 crore a month. It is one of the largest selling liquor retail outlets in Tamil Nadu.
