IDUKKI:
Pembilai Orumai
’s protest against
power minister M M Mani
entered the second day on Monday, even as the minister
refused to apologize
or meet them.
On Sunday night and Monday, the district witnessed many political leaders making a beeline to meet the striking women and express solidarity with them. BJP leaders Shobha Surendran, V V Rajesh and Binu J Kaimal, Congress leaders Lathika Subash, Bindu Krishna and Kochu Thresia Paulose and Aam Aadmi Party leader C R Neelakandan were among those who visited the Pembilai Orumai activists.
The protest was triggered by a
controversial speech
by Mani at a public meeting at Kunchithani Eirupathacare on Saturday alleging that Pembilai Orumai activists were engaged in drinking and immoral activities under the guise of their protest. The women started their agitation at 2pm on Sunday.
The protesters demanded that the minister should come to Munnar and apologize to them. “Otherwise, we will soon start a hunger strike,” said Pembilai Orumai leader Gomathi.
Meanwhile, internal tiff within Pembilai Orumai has affected the protest, with no more women turning up to the stir. Gomathi was expelled from the movement following her differences of opinion with it and she joined the CPM until she came back to her mother organization a few weeks back.
The 12-hour
hartal
called by BJP-led NDA to protest against Mani’s derogatory remarks against Pembilai Orumai partially affected normal life in the district. BJP activists tried to block vehicles at Kattappana, Thodupuzha and Cheruthony. Over 25% students in the district couldn’t attend the engineering entrance exam which was conducted on Monday. The two centres allotted for the exam were Thodupuzha and Kattappana.
BJP and Congress workers took out protest marches at Munnar, Thodupuzha, Kattappana, Kumily, Adimali and Cheruthony.