Kerala actor's protest against stirs blocking roads gets backing by Congress

Stirs and protest marches blocking roads, a quite common scenario in Kerala, has been criticised once again as a known actor openly protested against road blockade by the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kochi on Monday.

Even as the protest was against the skyrocketing fuel prices, a major chunk of the motorists held up in traffic blocks were also opposed to the stirs blocking road, that too during peak hours.

Actor Joju George, who openly flayed the road blockade stir stated by Congress, is also being widely appreciated on social media by individuals. Known writer M Mukundan stated that the people who already suffered a lot due to Covid should not be put to further hardships by staging stirs blocking roads.

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Despite several court directives over the years against stirs, blocking roads, the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front as well as the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front, which are the major political forces in Kerala, were not showing any interest in doing away with such stirs that cause severe hardships to the people. Even fringe parties were staging stirs blocking entire stretches even in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram during the busy hours.

Congress in the defensive

Congress is on the defensive as even Joju's luxury car was also damaged allegedly by Congress workers. Even as the women workers of Congress gave a police complaint accusing Joju of misbehaving, the police said that there was no prima facia evidence for that. The allegation of Joju in inebriated condition was also rejected by the police after conducting a medical examination.

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The ruling left front also used the incident to attack Congress in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister K N Balagopal raised the issue in the Assembly after Congress moved an adjournment motion notice over the increasing fuel price and demanding the Kerala government to give tax subsidies on fuels.

Vijayan accused Congress of making false allegations of drunken ruckus by the actor without verifying. Balagopal said that criticisms could be welcomed. But attacking the actor's vehicle and accusing him of being under influence of liquor could not be, he said.

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The finance minister also countered the demand for tax subsidy by stating that fuel prices in Congress ruling states were also on the higher side.

The opposition staged a walkout from the house as permission was denied for an adjournment motion.

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