Keezhattur stir: UDF dragging its feet on its stand

While the anti-bypass agitation by residents of Keezhattur here under the leadership of the ‘Vayalkilikal’ has emerged as a rallying point for environmental and social activists, the mainstream political opponents of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) other than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are dragging their feet on their stand on the agitation and its cause.

Though senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran joined the march to Keezhattur here held on Sunday by a large number of environmental and social activists as also BJP workers to express solidarity with the Vayalkilikal and its cause, Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders have not yet come out in support of the agitation.

While the CPI(M), which has been opposed to the agitation by the Vayalkilikal at Keezhattur, a ‘party village’ in its parlance, the Congress and the IUML are keeping a studied silence on the proposed NH bypass much to the relief of the CPI(M).

According to the CPI(M) leadership here, the UDF’s hesitation to support the anti-bypass stir is driven by the strong opposition from its own workers and the public favouring highway development.

Difference of opinion

Even Mr. Sudheeran’s suggestion in his address at the march at Keezhattur that alternative proposals including elevated highway should be considered is seen by the CPI(M) as a suggestion mindful of the opposition in his own party to the anti-bypass stir.

“There are severe differences of opinion among those who came to support the anti-bypass agitation,” CPI(M) district secretary P. Jayarajan said in a statement here noting that Mr. Sudheeran’s suggestion for the elevated highway at Keezhattur had already been rejected by the leader of the Vayalkilikal.

Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran had already written a letter to the Central government and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) raising the proposal for the elevated highway after the proposal was discussed in the Assembly, he added.

Though Congress leader K. Sudhakaran had visited Keezhattur before the march of social and environmental activists on Sunday he declined to offer support to the anti-bypass agitation. His only assurance was that the UDF would announce its stand on the agitation in two days.

Meanwhile, a Facebook poster posted by Vayalkilikal leader Suresh Keezhattur triggered speculation that the Keezhattur agitators might land in the Chengannur Assembly constituency to use byelection campaign to highlight their issue.