Wadakkanchery MLA Anil Akkara begins indefinite fast

THRISSUR: Wadakkanchery MLA Anil Akkara began an indefinite fast on Thursday demanding that the state government revoke the decision to dissolve the UDF-led managing committee of the Adat Farmers’ Bank. The venue of the fast is Muthuvara Junction near the bank and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited the venue on Thursday noon. Mr Ramesh said that the recent ordinance of the LDF government to dissolve the democratically elected managing committees of co-operative banks was against the Constitution and on Monday, the  KPCC would hold a meeting to decide the legal action to be taken in this matter.

Akkara said that the CPM had tried to dissolve the committee of the Adat Framers’ Bank and took the matter even to the Supreme Court, but did not succeed and now they came up with an ordinance to dissolve it. The bank which is one of the biggest farmers’ bank in the country has 20,000  members and assets of Rs 400 crore. It conducts paddy farming in 25,000 acres. The bank also sells its brand named ‘Adat Organic Rice’ in the market. As president of Adat Grama Panchayat, Akkara had been closely associated with the farmers’ bank. DCC president T.N. Prathapan who visited the venue of the protest said that the ordinance reminded him of military rule.