The district saw a huge turnout of women to form the women’s wall along the 82-km stretch of the National Highway here on Tuesday afternoon. Men too assembled in equally large numbers on the other side of the road to support the pledge to strengthen the values of renaissance and gender equality.
The women’s wall campaign drew tremendous response from different parts of the district. Residents of far away areas were brought in specially arranged buses and vehicles to join the wall.
By 3.30 p.m. women began to line up for the wall. Public meetings as part of the formation of the wall were held at 45 centres along the NH stretch.
The district-level inauguration of the women’s wall was done by Ports Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran at the Gandhi Circle here.
In his address, he said the women’s wall would be a historic event to uphold the values of renaissance and gender equality.
Against communalism
“It is not a communal wall as alleged by some quarters, but a wall against communalism and segregation,” he said, adding that people from all walks of life had joined the campaign. The participants formed a cross section of society in the State. The year 2019 had opened a new window with the forming of the wall, he said.
Kannur Mayor E.P. Latha presided over the inaugural function. P.K. Sreemathi, MP, read out the pledge. Actor Nilambur Ayisha, singer Sayanora Philip, district panchayat president K.V. Sumesh, and District Collector Mir Muhammed Ali, who was convener of the organising committee of the women’s wall here, were among those present.