Goliath CPI-M stomps over David in the Keezhattur battle

The BJP has lost face and also let an opportunity slip, as it was a chance for them to stamp their presence in a village where only red flags were waved before. 
Vayalkkilikal leader Suresh Keezhattur delivers a speech during a people’s rally at Keezhattur (File photo | Prasoon Kiran)
Vayalkkilikal leader Suresh Keezhattur delivers a speech during a people’s rally at Keezhattur (File photo | Prasoon Kiran)

KANNUR: It was an unequal battle right from the start. On one side of the battlefield, there stood the toughest opponent one could expect in Kannur district, the CPM. And on the other side stood a small, defiant group of farmers determined to fight to protect their paddy fields from being acquired for a national highway. 

Everyone watched keenly to see for how long Keezhattur’s Vayalkkilikal activists could resist the strongarm tactics of the party.

They fought bravely and at times were able to put the CPM on the backfoot. They successfully brought the subject before the public domain by asking some disturbing questions to the party leadership regarding development and the environment. 

Though a bit taken aback in the beginning, the CPM slowly took control of the situation through a combination of diplomacy and iron fist tactics. The slogan of development was effectively used by the party and the tough stand of the Chief Minister also proved decisive. 

The rebels of Keezhattur were portrayed by the party as Maoists and anti-development activists. They offered high prices for the lands to split the agitation. But the agitation just gained momentum. Environment activists announced their support for Vayalkkilikal. 

Sensing an opportunity in this CPM party village, the BJP offered their unconditional support to the agitators and also announced they would get the Central leadership involved. With the unexpected support they received from the public and the BJP, Vayalkkilikal organised a march in which they declared they would never allow a bypass to be built over their paddy fields. 

The involvement of BJP leaders helped Vayalkkilikal to have a discussion with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who assured them the road alignment will be changed. But a promise that an expert committee would visit to look at the situation failed to materialise. With the final notification issued and the dates for the hearing announced, how the fight will end is anybody’s guess.  

The BJP has lost face and also let an opportunity slip, as it was a chance for them to stamp their presence in a village where only red flags were waved before. 

Vayalkkilikal asserted the CPM will regret the betrayal  as people have seen the real face of the party. “Don’t think we are defeated. The number of defeated people in Kerala is increasing every day. One day, they will outnumber party workers,” said Suresh who led the protest.

Agitation will continue: Suresh Keezhattur

Kannur: Though Suresh Keezhattur, the leader of Vayalkkilikal, said the agitation will continue till the last piece of land is taken away from them, the chinks in the armoury were visible as he went hammer and tongs against the authorities. “Keezhattur will not be the last place where a resistance is put up against the corporate interests of the ruling class. Everywhere in the country, the ruling class, whether it is BJP, Congress, CPM or any other party which happens to be in power, works for the interests of the corporate lobby and has unfailingly suppressed such popular agitations,” said Suresh.

“Whether it is Keezhattur or Kandankali, no political parties have come forward to offer support.  When it comes to such development issues, the BJP and CPM are just two sides of the same coin,” he said. “The agitation has not ended. It will continue. When our agitation started last year, the state had not faced a flood like the recent one. Now, the arguments we put forward have become more relevant as man-made disasters can be avoided if we protect whatever little greenery is left,” he said. Meanwhile, CPM district secretary P Jayarajan has said the BJP should apologise to the people of Keezhattur for betraying them. “Jayarajan’s call to the agitators to come back shows we were not wrong in our approach,” Suresh said.

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