The women’s wall covering 55 km in the district from Ayikkarapadi to Perinthalmanna became a historic event on Tuesday with nearly two lakh women joining the symbolic wall against social regression. Government figures said that although 1.8 lakh women were to have been part of the wall, nearly two lakh women turned out to build it.
CPI(M) State committee member became the first link of the wall at Ayikkarapadi.
A large number of men too turned out to support the women. Public meetings marked the conclusion of the wall raised by the women supporting the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government at 10 centres in the district.
Minister for Higher Education K.T. Jaleel attended the wall along with his wife Fatimakutty here. Public meetings were held at Ayikkarapadi, Pulikkal, Kondotty, Morayur, Malappuram, Koottilangadi, Ramapuram, Angadipuram, Perinthalmanna and Pulamanthol.
Assembly Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan’s wife Divya and mother Seethalakshmi, former Local Administration Minister Paloli Mohammedkutty’s wife K. Khadeeja and daughter Nafeesa were among the prominent women who joined the wall.
Real beneficiaries
Addressing the women, Mr. Jaleel said that women were the real beneficiaries of the social awakening. He said only societies that attained equality of men and women had progressed. Any groups opposing the progress of the society would be ignored by the people, he added.
Inaugurating the public meeting here, All India Democratic Women’s Association general secretary Mariam Dhawale said that the wall had become a part of Indian history. CPI leader P. Gouri presided. P.V. Anvar, MLA, V. Abdurahman, MLA, District Collector Amit Meena, District Police Chief Prateesh Kumar, Malayalam University vice chancellor Anil Vallathol, CPI (M) leaders A. Vijayaraghavan, E.N. Mohandas, and K.P. Sumathi, and Janata Dal leader P.M. Safarulla spoke.