KOTTAYAM/ MALAPPURAM/KOZHIKODE/KOCHI: The protest against SilverLine semi high-speed rail project is gaining momentum with political parties including Congress and BJP extending support to people’s agitation. Increasing participation of women agitators is causing headache to the LDF government.
On Saturday, residents of Vengalur in Malappuram district blocked the laying of survey stones in private land. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan visited Madappally near Changanassery in Kottayam district where a woman was forcefully removed by the police for opposing laying of survey stone in her land. At Thiruvaniyoor in Ernakulam district, Congress workers led by DCC president Mohammed Shiyas and Piravom MLA Anoop Jacob removed the stones installed in paddy fields and threw them into a canal. The K-Rail Virudha Janakeeya Samiti will organise a dharna at Kallayi on Sunday against the survey.
Meanwhile, Mahila Congress activists led by state president Jeby Mather took out a march to the Kerala Police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday against its officers using force against agitating women. The march turned violent as protesters tried to breach the barricades. The police booked a case against 20 Mahila Congress workers including Jeby on charges including unlawful assembly, rioting, and stopping police from discharging their duty.
Muraleedharan said the Centre has not accorded sanction to the SilverLine project and alleged the state government was using police to intimidate people. He said the BJP will stand with the public and resist any move to implement the project by oppressing public sentiments.
“The CPM claims it stands for gender equality and women’s safety. However, its leaders have turned a blind eye to women who were dragged on the road by the police. Why didn’t the government take action against DySP Sreekumar who forcefully removed a woman protester? It’s evident that the Madappally incident was planned as the officers who unleashed violence reached the spot after removing their name plates. If the government thinks it can oppress popular sentiments by deploying police, they are thoroughly mistaken,” said Muraleedharan.
The women protesters who led the agitation at Vengalur demanded that the government should ensure land for rehabilitation before survey stones are laid. “I’m not asking them to stop acquiring land. But they should provide me a house to lead a decent life before trying to acquire my land. They did not even inform me about the survey,” said a woman protester. The police arrested nine protesters who tried to block the survey as K-Rail officials continued installing survey stones.
“SilverLine has a 54-km stretch from Vallikkunnu to Alamcode. Survey of around 25km has been completed,” said a K-Rail official. The government needs to acquire 108.13 hectares of land in 13 villages in Malappuram district.