KANNUR: Buoyed by the groundswell of support for ‘Keralam Keezhatturilekku’ from across the social spectrum, the Vayalkkilikal are now planning to stage a long march from Keezhattur to Thiruvananthapuram in April.The march which will take the ongoing agitation to the next level will have the participation of all the households likely to lose their land and home as a result of the contentious National Highway bypass project.It was the huge turnout witnessed at ‘Keralam Keezhatturilekku’ on Sunday which prompted the Vayalkkilikal to think of launching the long march.
However, they are waiting for clarification on the suggestion made by the state government in connection with the construction of an elevated highway, said Noble Paikada, convener, Keezhattur Agitation Solidarity Committee (Keezhattur Aikyadardhya Samithi). “We will wait for one more week,” he said.
Interestingly, the elevated highway over the Keezhattur paddy fields mooted as an alternative has not found favour with the Vayalkkilikal.
According to Noble, the Vayalkkilikal will indeed press ahead with the plan for staging the long march if the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) fails to come up with another alignment. The march will be staged in the second half of April, after Vishu, he said.Suresh Keezhattur, the leader of the agitation, told Express that Sunday’s march had infused fresh life and energy into the agitators as it exceeded their wildest expectations.
“Though we had earlier announced around 2,000 people will take part, the actual number went up to 4,000’ which is a massive endorsement, said Suresh. “This has given us the courage to take the protest to the next level,” he said.Even as the Vayalkkilikal are cock-a-hoop at the overwhelming support to the agitation, the CPM appears slightly shaken by the high-voltage protest and the anti-CPM rage displayed by the supporters of the agitation.
Let centre take final call, says works minister
T’Puram: CM Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to discuss various aspects regarding the highway project, including the proposal for an elevated road. The other day, Works Minister G Sudhakaran had written to Gadkari and NHAI chairman regarding the possibility of it to protect the watershed area there. Sudhakaran said the government is not at all adamant in its approach as far as the Keezhattur issue is concerned. “The state government is not stubborn in its approach. The highway alignment was finalised and detailed project report was approved by the Union Ministry and NHAI. If the NHAI takes a decision about an alternative alignment, the government has no issues,” he said. Both the state government and CPM are of the view it is for the Centre to take a final call regarding the bypass construction.
Facebook post an indirect message to CPM
Kannur: With the Facebook post of Suresh Keezhattur, the Vayalkkilikal have sent an indirect message to the CPM leadership that even in Chengannur, they will have to answer for aggravating the issue. By making the construction of bypass through Keezhattur an election issue, the Vayalkkilikal will be posing a threat to the CPM in the bypoll in which the party expects to retain the seat.