THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the BJP following the death of a 49-year-old man who set himself ablaze early on Thursday near the Secretariat has invited severe criticism on social media. The unexpected hartal somehow drew parallel to a scene from the Malayalam film Sandesham where political parties compete for a dead person's body to claim it to be their martyr.
The hartal was partially observed as private vehicles, auto rickshaws and delivery boys plied on the roads without paying heed to the hartal. Even a few bakeries and eateries were open. Public transport, however, kept off roads even as Sabarimala pilgrims and vehicles were exempted from the hartal. Many passengers including domestic and foreign tourists were stranded at the railway station.
On Thursday, 49-year-old C Venugopalan Nair who attempted self-immolation near the BJP's Sabarimala protest tent, succombed to his injuries. Following his death, the BJP called for a hartal although, according to the police, the deceased didn't have any political affiliation. However, BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai feels the hartal is a natural response. "The man sacrificed his life because he wanted to expose the actions of the Marxist government. That's why the party called for a hartal," Pillai said.
Finance minister Thomas Isaac lashed out at the BJP. His twitter post read, “ The fifth hartal of Sabarimala season called by BJP today. Reason: A person commits suicide in front of the secretariat. Magistrate who took the death testimony says that the suicide is unrelated to Sabarimala agitation. Nevertheless BJP claims him a martyr of the agitation.”
On the other hand Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden chose to convey his opinion on the strike through a movie video.“My opinion on the strike has been conveyed on my Facebook page. I have posted a video from the film 'Sandesham' resembling the same situation where a political party tries hard to make a dead person their martyr.”
Nothing unusual about it
Many auto drivers took their vehicles to the streets, ignoring the hartal. “They will call a hartal, but will they provide means to survive? A day's loss amounts to Rs 1500, and we cannot afford that. Moreover, there are many people who are stranded,” says Seyyadaly K, an auto driver who recalled his first ride on the hartal day, when he had to ply a couple, who were mourning the death of their mother.
Public comments
‘Those who need hartal can contact the BJP office...’
‘BJP will observe hartal thrice a week’
‘This is not the way to attack the people...’
‘This is politics over dead bodies and absolutely ‘neech’
Sabarimala supporters
‘Being a devotee myself it is ugly to see six hartals in a span of 2.5 months. If BJP wants to highlight the cause there are several other agitations’.