6 days ago
Kerala UDF to Expand Protest Against Railway Division Shift
The Railway Board plans to move the Mangaluru area from one railway division to another.
The change is scheduled to begin on October 1.
Kerala’s Congress-led UDF disagrees with the decision.
Its leaders say the change could hurt railway development in northern Kerala.
They also say the state government was not consulted.
Congress MP V K Sreekandan said protests will spread across Kerala.
He said the group may also protest in Delhi near the Railway Ministry.
Kerala leaders are asking the decision to be withdrawn or reconsidered.
The Congress-led UDF plans to expand its agitation across Kerala and possibly to Delhi.
The protest opposes shifting the Mangaluru area from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division from October 1.
Congress MP V K Sreekandan called the decision harmful to Kerala’s railway development and “anti-democratic.”
Sreekandan alleged the move was intended to appease a Karnataka lobby ahead of elections, without providing evidence in the report.
UDF leaders previously held a day-long hunger strike outside the Palakkad divisional railway manager’s office.
- Who
- The Congress-led United Democratic Front, led in this protest by Congress MP V K Sreekandan, along with Kerala leaders and ministers.
- What
- The UDF plans to expand protests against the proposed transfer of the Mangaluru area from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division.
- Where
- The protests began in Palakkad, may spread across Kerala, and could be taken to Delhi near the Railway Ministry.
- When
- The transfer is proposed to take effect on October 1; Sreekandan announced the planned escalation on August 27.
- Why
- The UDF says the transfer could harm Kerala’s railway development and was decided without consulting the state government.
Key facts
- Proposed change
- The Mangaluru area, including Ullal, would move from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division.
- Effective date
- October 1
- Protest organizer
- Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)
- Congress representative
- Congress MP V K Sreekandan
- Previous protest
- A day-long hunger strike was held outside the Palakkad divisional railway manager’s office.
- Requested action
- The UDF and Kerala leaders want the Railway Board’s decision withdrawn or reconsidered.
- State government response
- Chief Minister V D Satheesan urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put the decision on hold and consult Kerala and other stakeholders.
Quotes
V K Sreekandan
Congress MP who announced the UDF’s planned expansion of its railway protest
“This is an attempt to undermine railway development in Keralam. It should be withdrawn. Keralam is not ready to accept this anti-democratic action”
theprint.in
“The agitation will be expanded across Keralam. We are also considering taking the protest to Delhi, in front of the Railway Ministry”
theprint.in
Sources
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