Keezhattur: CPI(M)to reach out to people

As the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leadership here has found itself on the back foot over the agitation of local residents and farmers of Keezhattur, which forms part of the cluster of the party’s strongholds in the Taliparamba municipality, party cadres will circulate CPI(M) district secretary P. Jayarajan’s open letter addressed to the public on its stand on the Keezhattur issue during a campaign covering an estimated 5.5 lakh households in the district.

The campaign to explain the CPI(M)’s stand on the agitation at Keezhattur against the proposed National Highway bypass under the aegis of the Vayalkilikal, a group of local activists which included CPI(M) workers who have since been expelled from the party, has come in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) bid to take over the stir and thus to gain its entry in the village which is seen by the CPI(M) as its ‘party village.’ The household campaign that will be completed by April 10 is planned to coincide with the two zonal ‘jathas’ of the party from Wednesday raising the slogan ‘peace and development.’

Stating that the CPI(M) did not approve of a bid to block developmental activities using environment as a ploy, the four-page letter noted that, the present alignment has been finalised out of the three as it passes through a least built-up area. Only 28 buildings would be demolished if the bypass passes through Kuppam- Keezhattur-Koovode- Kuttikkol area, the letter said.

Accusation against the CPI(M) over the final alignment was made with a clear political motive, it said adding that it was the State government’s duty to acquire land identified by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for the bypass. The BJP should have marched to the office of Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to change the bypass alignment, the letter said.

Mr. Jayarajan asked the UDF to make its stand clear on Keezhattur agitation.

Meanwhile, the Vayalkilikal has second thoughts about its leaders having shared platform with the BJP leadership during the inauguration of the BJP's Karshaka Raksha March at Keezhattur. Suresh Keezhattur, the leader of the anti-bypass agitation, said the Vayalkilikal should not have participated in the programme organised by the BJP.

Though the Vayalkilikal welcomed the support of the BJP and other parties to the agitation, it was not led by narrow political interests, he posted in his Facebook page. The agitation is driven by a progressive stand on environment and development, he added.