Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists planted placards on the contentious paddy fields of Keezhattur, announcing land owners’ consent to hand over their plots for bypass construction in the area. Local residents have been up in arms against the proposal.
A large number of CPI(M) workers gathered in the paddy fields of Keezhattur on Saturday to plant the placards in the plots of all farmers who, they claimed, had granted consent to hand over land for the project. Each placard carried the name of the landowner who apparently had consented to the takeover. Local CPI(M) workers said 56 of the 60 landowners had already given their consent. Party flags were put up along the stretch of the paddy fields where the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had already placed alignment stones.
Vayalkilikal’s march
The CPI(M) activists later took out a march from Keezhattur to Taliparamba as a counter to the march to be organised by the Vayalkilikal, which is spearheading the anti-bypass stir, on March 25 from here to Keezhattur. Among those who led the CPI(M) march included P.K. Sreemathy and K.K. Ragesh, MPs; James Mathew, MLA; and CPI(M) district secretary P. Jayarajan.
The Vayalkilikal announced their decision to reinstall the ‘samara pandal’ which was set ablaze, allegedly by CPI(M) workers, on March 14. CPI(M) local leaders said the Keezhattur Janakeeya Samrakshana Samiti, formed under the party’s aegis on Saturday, would erect its own pandal to campaign that most of the landowners were ready to give their land.
