With the United Democratic Front (UDF) throwing its weight behind the anti-GAIL pipeline agitation, the State government has decided to hold talks with the action committee at the Kozhikode collectorate on Monday.
The government, which has drawn flak over Wednesday’s police action at Mukkom, decided to depute Industries Minister A.C. Moideen to hold talks with representatives of the committee.
District Collector U.V. Jose said representatives of all political parties had been informed about the meeting at 4 p.m. The talks were being held to remove the anxieties of the affected parties, he said.
Welcoming the decision, K.C. Anwar, district president, Solidarity Youth Movement and convener of the GAIL Victims Forum, said the government should create a conducive atmosphere for talks. However, a section of the protesters wanted the government to stop all ongoing activities, including felling of trees for laying the pipelines for the project.
UDF leaders’ visit
A UDF team led by Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran and Indian Union Muslim League general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, MP, visited the protesters at Mukkom and expressed solidarity. The UDF fully supported the anti-GAIL agitation. It was not the policy of the communists to crush down mass protests. However, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was behaving like a dictator, Mr. Sudheeran said.
Mr. Kunhalikutty warned that the UDF would be forced to join the strike if the State government did not intervene.
The visit of the UDF leaders comes close on the heels of the CPI(M) district secretariat condemning the violent incident and terming the agitation as “ backed by Muslim extremists who possess the primitive mentality of the seventh century.”
Work resumes
Meanwhile, GAIL authorities resumed their work with police protection at Mukkom and nearby areas. Director General of Police (North Zone) Rajesh Dewan said the protection would be given to GAIL workers for carrying out the project.
“Protests in a democratic way are allowed. However, the police will not remain silent if the situation goes out of control,” he said.
The police have booked 21 persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting and Prevention of Damage to Public Property.