Once again, beleaguered Chithralekha to stage stir in front of Kannur collectorate
KANNUR: For E Chithralekha, 47, a Dalit autorickshaw driver of Kattampally, ever since she had shown the guts to stand up to the might of the CPM, life has become a hell of a journey. She was being ruthlessly chased out of Edatt, her birthplace. Her autorickshaws, the only source of income for the family, were burnt down twice. When the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy sanctioned five cents of land and Rs 5 lakh for her to construct a house on that land in 2016, the LDF government which came to power after the fall of UDF government cancelled the order. The case is pending before the High Court, now.
Now, Chithralekha is getting ready for the final battle as she has demanded a proper police investigation into the burning down of her autorickshaw for the second time on August 25. Seemingly tired of the long battle, Chithralekha said that she would start a 72-hour strike in front of Kannur Collectorate on October 3. "I could see people around me shout about social progress and Renaissance. For, around two decades now, I have been hunted down by CPM and struggling to survive. I was not allowed to work at Edatt. They burnt down my autorickshaw in 2005. And now, they have repeated the act now," she said.
"There are Dalit organisations and human rights activists. But, all are afraid to offer support to my cause. At present, only a handful of activists are with me, and I know well that we are not good enough to put up even a decent resistance against the might of the party. But, this is my life. I have the right to live in this land," she said.
Everything started when she bought an autorickshaw in 2004. "I had to face caste discrimination as fellow autorickshaw drivers of CITU union showered abuses continuously. As I resisted, they started using force. They tried everything they could to make my life difficult as an auto driver by throwing up hurdles everywhere I went. Then, one day, they burnt down my autorickshaw," she said.
Demanding justice and the right to live, she had waged protests against the CPM. In 2013, she conducted a 10-day strike, which was wound up as the district collector gave an assurance to her that she would be allowed to work and live without any threat from outside. "But, that promise was not kept," she said. Again, she launched another strike, this time for 122 days demanding protection from the administration.
It was following this agitation that Chithralekha was given five cents of land and Rs 5 lakh as financial assistance to build a house at Kattampally. "But, the papers didn't move out of Kannur collectorate, due to the influence of the CPM. I had to conduct another strike of 47 days in front of the secretariat in 2016 to get the papers to the office there," Chithralekha said.
But, the LDF government which came to power in 2016, cancelled the order of the Oommen Chandy government. "The case is going on and pending before the High Court," she said. Even at Kattampally, the silent ostracisation imposed by CPM continues in Kattampally too. "I know, how helpless I am before the organised strength of the party. But, this is my life, and I will fight so that my family would be able to survive," she said.
It was on August 25 this year that her autorickshaw parked in front of her house was burnt down again. Though a case was registered at Valapattanam police station, the police have not been able to arrest the attackers, she said. "I had said that I could identify the person who ran away from the spot along with three other persons. But, the police have not taken any steps to nab them," she said.
"The investigation is on. Though Chithralekha had said that she had seen a person, we cannot get any evidence against the person to get him connected to the incident," said M T Jacob, SHO, Valapatanam police station.
"The autorickshaw was the only source of income for our family. Now, we are going through a very difficult phase as life has become very tough. Police must act and arrest the culprit. Either kill me or let me live," Chithralekha said. She has already given complaints to President Draupadi Murmu, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, National SC Commission and National Human Rights Commission.