Mahe: They are not part of Kerala, they did not vote in the Kerala elections, but still people in Mahe are part of hartals whenever major political parties declare them in Kerala, especially Kannur. In all recently conducted hartals in Kannur over many issues including political violence, the people of the union territory have also been made a part against their will.
The latest happened on Tuesday when the CPM declared a hartal protesting their worker’s murder in Kannur. This time though, Mahe town was excluded due to the ongoing St Theresa Shrine feast. While Mahe residents are against the idea of being included in Kannur hartals, the party leadership maintains that the Mahe party unit comes under its jurisdiction.
While all major political parties say that the enclave of Puducherry in Kerala should be excluded from hartals and strikes conducted in the state, the Kannur leaderships maintain that Mahe is part of them when it comes to party administration.
“Mahe comes under CPM’s Kannur district committee and that’s why it is also part of our hartals,” said CPM District Secretary P Jayarajan. However Mahe MLA Dr V Ramachandran, the independent candidate backed by the CPM in assembly elections, does not support that idea.
“In my opinion and that of people, it shouldn’t happen. Many issues do not affect Mahe’s people. If the major political parties reach a consensus, we can take it to an administrative level through formal talks,” he added.
“Even the students’ strikes in Kerala against government policies are affecting Mahe. I think it should be discussed among parties and an amicable solution found,” opined BJP Mahe unit leader Sathyan Chalakkara. “The Congress organisational setup is affiliated to Puducherry but we also support this idea,” added Congress leader E Valsaraj.
“Hartals only bring animosity among people on issues we are not part of at all,” said Karthikeyan, a resident. The Regional Administration is also losing revenue due to hartals. The lion’s share of Mahe’s revenue is from the sales of liquor and household articles and hardware.
