Workers throng Secretariat seeking Thomas Chandy’s resignation
The BJP’s siege of the Secretariat from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday seeking the resignation of Transport Minister Thomas Chandy had several shades — for the common man, it meant a harrowing commuting time while for the roadside vendors, such a huge gathering meant good business.
As traffic through the arterial road was hit from early morning, students, office-goers, and others had a tough time. The spin-off effect of the siege was felt elsewhere too in the city. Many junctions and corridors witnessed snarls on the first working day of the week.
As the workers squatted in front of the North, South and YMCA gate of the Secretariat, its employees and the Ministers had a tough time reaching the Cantonment gate to enter Secretariat. “We had to walk all the way from Palayam to the Secretariat”, said a person from Kottarakara. Although the BJP made arrangements to provide food for the party cadres participating in the stir, street vendors made use of the opportunity. Lottery, ice cream and peanuts were in high demand. “A crowd is a good thing,” said Jose Prakash whose peanuts had great demand. For the lottery agents, it was a mixed bag. “BJP workers do not buy much tickets. LDF and UDF protests are much better,” said lottery agent V.S. Rajan.
Inaugurating the siege, BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should show the courage to take back the land acquired by Mr. Chandy in violation of Kerala Land Reforms Act and redistribute it to the farmers.
BJP’s national council member P.K. Krishnadas, district president Velliyamkulam Parameswaran, O. Rajagopal, MLA, State general secretaries Sobha Surendran and A.N. Radhakrishnan spoke. Traffic was restored around 2.30 p.m.
Source:-The hindu