The United Democratic Front (UDF) staged a massive demonstration in the State capital as the Congress-led coalition laid siege to the Government Secretariat here on the second anniversary of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government on Saturday.
“Chargesheet” of failures
Several thousands of activists besieged the gates of the Secretariat as early as 7 a.m. as the Opposition targeted the “inhumane and corruption-ridden Government”. A “chargesheet” listing the alleged failures of the Government was also released during the protest.
Inaugurating the massive rally, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan tore into the Government as he highlighted its various “anti-people policies” that have pushed large sections to dire straits.
Charging the LDF government with several wrongdoings, he said the public will prosecute the Pinarayi Vijayan government for misgovernance, corruption, breakdown of law and order, unemployment and rampant tax loot.
Allegations
“Besides placing an immense tax burden on the public, the government has hiked water and power tariffs, building permit fees and other essential utilities. At the same time, it has turned a blind eye towards the woes of large sections, who have been facing revenue recovery proceedings. Many families have been forced out of their homes with banks and other financial institutions going ahead with steps to attach houses and farmlands. Lakhs of recovery notices were served last year, despite the Opposition demanding a freeze on such measures,” he said.
He also accused the LDF government of doing little for the farming community that have been battling various odds to earn a living.
“The procurement of raw coconuts has stalled with numerous farmers facing immense losses. The rubber sector has also been facing a steady decline as the LDF government remained a mute spectator to the unfolding tragedy. While the Oommen Chandy government had utilised ₹500 crore towards a price stabilisation fund that had been instituted for rubber, the LDF has released merely ₹33 crore thus far. Moreover, the packages that had been announced for Kasaragod, Idukki and Wayanad have remained unfulfilled promises,” Mr. Satheesan added.
While dubbing the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as the focal point of corrupt deals, he reiterated allegations surrounding the UAE gold smuggling case, LIFE Mission, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cameras and K-FON project.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran, who presided over the protest, said the State was ruled by a “commission government” that has been draining its exchequer. Alleging a total breakdown of law and order, he said the State has come under the clutches of unabated drug trafficking and proliferation. “The seizure of drugs worth ₹25000 crore off the Kochi coast is an indication of the thriving narcotics market in the State,” he said.
United Democratic Front (UDF) convener M.M. Hassan said the fate of the dethroned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka would befall the LDF in Kerala. The mass agitation led by the UDF would pave the way for the government’s collapse.
Senior leaders of the UDF including former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, P.K. Kunhalikutty, Shibu Babu John, C.P. John, G. Devarajan, Mani C. Kaapan, A.N. Rajan Babu, MPs Shashi Tharoor, K. Muraleedharan, Adoor Prakash, Benny Behanan, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Anto Antony and Jebi Mather participated. The protest concluded around 12.30 p.m.
While the agitation was largely peaceful, altercations broke out between the police and activists over obstructing the passage of government employees to the Secretariat. Barring the Cantonment gate, all other gates were blocked by the protesters. Traffic came to a standstill in the Thiruvananthapuram city as the UDF demonstration coincided with a day-and-night agitation organised by the BJP against the ‘betrayal of the LDF government’ at the Palayam Martyrs’ Column nearby.
