In a twist to its own decision, Kerala’s ruling Communist Party of India, decided to go ahead with a road plan, which was opposed by the same party during its days in opposition there years ago.
The party is facing a predicament at Keezhattur, a village in the citadel of Kannur. A section of the same party and many supporters who carried forward the protest had decided to drop earlier after coming to power in the state in May 2016.
The main issue was the acquisition of a piece of land of about 250 acres of pristine paddy fields to build a national highway bypass through the agricultural village. The same party, which was then in the opposition, went against the three alignments proposed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to build the bypass.
The reason given by the party opposing to the plan was that construction of the road may upset the paddy cultivation in the village and also play down the ecosystem leading to a shortage of water paving the way for other irreparable environmental hazards. But when it came to power, the party decided to change its mind.
The leaders who were the frontrunners for the agitation under an action committee, took back support following Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan statement calling everyone to make development as the main agenda of his government and there cannot be further protests under his rule.
But, a small group of 60 farmers under the leadership of Suresh Keezhattur defied the order and went on with the protest under a group called “Vayalkilikal” (literally, paddy birds).
The Government of CPM has continuously put efforts to contain the agitation. A total eleven party members were expelled from the party for being a part of the protest. An employment ban was also imposed on Suresh’s brother, namely, Ratheesh Chandroth, a head load worker registered with its trade union wing, for taking part in the agitation.
A tent of wood set up by the farmers during the agitation was burnt allegedly by CPM workers from the neighboring village on March 14. It was alleged that the tent was burned in return of the farmer’s action against the NHAI officials as they came for a survey of the land.
The party played the blame game by dubbing the protesters as anti-development. The CPM also tried to isolate Vayalkilikal by barring outsiders lending any kind of support to them for entering the village. A ‘kaval pura’ (watch-house) was also set up in the field to check ongoing activities of the outsiders.
The leadership of the party from Kannur has been trying for the bypass to be built through the village government relented a little and also urged the Government at the Centre to see the possibility of construction of elevated highway in place of the bypass due to the mounting pressure on them due to the protests against the acquisition of the paddy fields.
A march was organized by the party from Keezhattur to nearby Taliparamba town with a clear declaration that the bypass is scheduled to be built as per the current alignment couple of days after Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran wrote a letter to Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari which suggested that the highway be elevated in view of the mounting protests against the bypass.
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