Capital witnesses number of protests, MLA stages

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State capital witnessed a number of protests by various political parties on the Mullaperiyar issue on Monday. Roshy Augustine, Idukki MLA and Kerala Congress (M) leader, observed a fast in front of the AG’s office demanding Central intervention in the issue. Terming his protest as a token strike, Augustine said that he would strengthen his agitation, if  the Centre failed to take strong steps on the Mullaperiyar issue.   “Hundreds of people are living in the shadow of fear as tremors continue in Idukki district. The water level in the dam had risen to 136.4 and this has heightened   fear among people. It is high time that the Centre intervened in the issue and put pressure on Tamil Nadu to adopt steps to protect the interest of lakhs of people in Kerala,’’ he said.  The fast was inaugurated by noted dramatist and lyricist Kavalam Narayana Panicker.Various people, including poet Sugathakumari, visited Augustine to express their solidarity with him on the  Mullaperiyar issue.TAKES OUT MARCH A group of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists took out a march to the residence of Union Defence Minister A K  Antony here protesting against his alleged inaction in resolving the Mullaperiyar issue. The police stopped the protesters  using barricades. The BJYM marchers said that Antony should  take a active role in protecting the people of Idukki district who faced serious risk from the 116-year-old dam. The All-India Youth Federation (AIYF) activists took out a march to front of AG’s office demanding that the Central Government should take the initiative to protect the interests of the state in the Mullaperiyar issue. The AIYF activists also burned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in effigy alleging that the PM was keeping quiet when the entire  Kerala fearful of a dam collapse.  “The Prime Minister should interfere in the issue and call for a meeting between Kerala and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers to find a concrete solution for the issue. The Central Government should try to settle the issue amicably in the national interest,’’ said AIYF secretary Kaladi Jayachandran.AITUC activists also took out a march in front of the Secretariat to express their solidarity with the indefinite strike being staged by E S Bijimol MLA at Vallakadvu in Idukki on the Mullaperiyar issue.   The march was inaugurated by AITUC state secretary Kuttiyanikadu Madhu.

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