THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A group of socially conscious women has written a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressing their anguish over the violent suppression of protests against K-Rail.
The letter highlighted how police had forcibly removed women protesting against marking of survey stones at Changanassery on March 17.
“Is it the right way to deal with a public protest by a democratically elected government which claims to implement a development project for the future generation,” the letter asked. Over 70 women signed the letter.
Attempts by K-Rail authorities, with the help of police, to lay survey stones to demarcate the land to be acquired have been met with stiff resistance from the public and often protests have turned violent in many parts of the state.
“The violence has shocked the public conscience because it is the women, children and the subaltern who are always the victims of inequalities existing in the society. You should recognise that the top-down approach without assimilating the public developmental needs is detrimental to the progressive left movement and the government. We fear that it will pave way for the communal forces to make inroads,” the letter said.
They requested the government to hold open discussion with people and show democratic decency to accept the views of people affected by the project.