Kerala: Vayalkilikal suspends protest march as storm ravages Keezhattur
KANNUR: Vayalkilikal -- a people’s collective protesting against constructing the national highway through paddy fields in Keezhattur -- suspended its protest march scheduled on Saturday because of adverse weather condition and crop loss. Protesters said farmers in and around Taliparamba, including Keezhattur, suffered huge loss to properties and crops in the storm on Friday night.
“Our priority now is to help the people whose houses were damaged and crops lost,” said Suresh Keezhattur, who is leading the agitation.He said all the protesters were involved in clearing the uprooted trees from the roads and repairing the houses on which trees fell.Vayalikilkal said the protest march will now be held on May 29.
They have also cut short the distance of the protest march. “We will begin the march in Kannur town and proceed to the Collectorate,” said Suresh. Earlier, Vayalikilkal had planned to walk from Keezhattur to the Collectorate - a distance of around 20km. However, the decision to cancel the Saturday’s march fuelled speculation that the protest had petered out.
At first, Vayalikilkal dropped its plan for a ‘Long March’ to the capital, saying the decision to realign the bypass should be taken by the central government and not the state government.
Soon after that, the CPM’s district secretary P Jayarajan extended an olive branch to the Vayalikilkal saying “they are not enemies of the party”.