Thiruvananthapuram, 09 July(HS): The all-India agitation called by the ruling CPI(M) and the Opposition Congress for Wednesday brought Kerala to a grinding halt. With the police remaining mute spectators, the Marxists in the State had a field day. Those who dared to leave their homes to go to offices, business establishments, and markets were attacked by CPI(M) activists. The agitation was against the policies of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government which the Marxists and their allies describe as anti-people, anti-socialists, anti-minorities and anti-working class.

In Pathanapuram of Kollam district, the branch of a leading private bank came under attack by the bundh supporters who took away the key boards of the desk tops to ensure that the staff did not do any work. The 13 staff members who came to the branch of the Evangelical Social Action Forum (ESAF) Bank were the ones that was targeted by the Marxists. The CPI(M) chose the ESAF Bank, owned and operated by the Christian evangelists, to give vent to their ire exposing their hypocrisy towards the minority community. It may be remembered that ESAF Bank is head quartered at Thrissur, from where the BJP candidate Suresh Gopi won the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the first time the Lotus bloomed in Kerala. Since then the Christians in Thrissur have become an eyesore for the CPI(M).

In Kozhikode, a car transporting a seriously ill youth to the Medical College Hospital was waylaid by CPI(M) workers. While the cops looked the other way, the comrades stood their ground and shouted at the patient why he fell ill on the day of the bandh. All shopping malls too were forced to down their shutters and those who struggled to make ends meet had to go without a meal.

The State-owned KSRTC buses could not ply as the bandh supporters laid siege to the roads leading to bus stations across Kerala. “This is nothing but violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution,” said C Prakash, a retired government staff who had to cancel his plans to attend a family function because of the non-availability of buses or cabs.

The CPI(M) usually holds a general strike at least twice a year to keep the party cadre on mission mode. Since the elections to the local bodies and the legislative assembly are expected in later this year and by March 2026, respectively, it is important for the CPI(M) to mobilize the party cadre to rig the polls to come back to power.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti