Congress starts relay protest in front of Mayor’s chamber

Demands include good drinking water in city, dismissal of Mayor’s driver

Congress councillors stage a relay hunger strike in front of the Thrissur Mayor’s chamber on Friday. | Photo Credit: K.K. Najeeb

Congress councillors of the Thrissur Corporation started a relay protest in front of the Mayor's chamber on Friday.

Their demands include distribution of drinking water in the Corporation limits and dismissal of the Mayor’s driver, who allegedly drove the Mayor’s vehicle into the protesting Congress councillors. District Congress Committee president Jose Vallur inaugurated the protest.

“The Mayor, who violated the decisions taken at the all-party meeting, has closed all doors of consensus. In the coming days, protests will be extended outside of the Corporation,” Mr. Vallur said.

‘Muddy water for months’

“The Corporation, which had spent a huge sum on the drinking water project, has been distributing muddy water for many months. Thousands of houses under the Corporation limits have been denied drinking water by the civic body. The Congress will continue to agitate until the Corporation supplies water,” said Leader of the Opposition in the Corporation Rajan Pallan.

“We will stage agitation until the driver is removed from service. We are planning to block the Mayor’s car on the road and boycott his functions,” Mr. Pallan added.

The protest by the Congress councillors against distribution of polluted water in the city has been witnessing dramatic scenes for some time. A case was registered against the Mayor and his driver for attempt at culpable homicide after Mayor’s driver allegedly tried to ram the car into the agitating councillors.