Kozhikode: Laymen lose fight to money, muscle

Kozhikode: Endless agitations leading to no result, led by localites on developmental and environmental issues, hints at the haplessness of the common man to win a battle against the rich and affluent, activists say.

Backed by political patrons and money power, the action councils formed by the public cut a sorry figure in the fight against the culprits. For the last several months, the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu road development action council, Nadakkavu, Kakkanchery Samrakshana Samithy, Kakkanchery and Punathil Thazham –Puthanpalli Vayal Samrakshana Samithy, Edakkad have been agitating on separate issues.

The road action council headed by Dr MGS Narayanan has been demanding the widening of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu road to ensure the safe movement of citizens. Though recurring governments showered promises, the project is yet to take off.

Dr MGS Narayanan told DC that the committee would continue its agitation till people got justice. “Changing governments promised us to that they would ensure road widening. But once they are in power, promises are forgotten”, he added. “But people cannot withdraw from the agitation as it is a do or die situation. We cannot sleep till we receive justice. We will continue to remind the rulers about the promises”, he added.

The long agitation of  Punathil Thazham –Puthanpalli Vayal Samrakshana Samithy against a hospital project in Edakkad is a another example.

The action council which had enjoyed full support of  all political parties earlier, now only gets sparse support. Moreover, police and corporation officials have demolished the pandal of the action council erected in front of the construction site.

Action council chairman Sudhesh Kumar told DC that it was tough to speak the truth and stand for nature and environment.

“First they bought up political parties by contributing huge sums for party funds and also to the leadership. Then they slapped cases against the strong leaders and workers of the action council. They themselves provoke the agitators using goons and then manage to trap our workers in many cases. I don’t know how long we would be able to carry on with the agitation But till our death we will sustain the protest”, he added.

The Kakkanchery Parisara Samrakshana Samithy has been on an agitation against the upcoming red-listed gold processing unit in the Kinfra Industrial Park in Kakkanchery, causing threat to other existing food-based industries in Kakkanchery. The agitation has crossed more than 500 days but it is still on.