Security has been beefed up in Kerala for Vijayan government-led 620km-long women chain from Kasargod to Thiruvananthpuram. The LDF government hopes to mobilise women voters in the state.
HIGHLIGHTS
Pinarayi opens Sabarimala challenge with Women’s wall
Opposition terms it communal wall to divide Kerala
Confrontation politics takes centre stage
Kerala is going to welcome New Year with Women’s Wall. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government-sponsored Women’s Wall on the New Year Day evening has gone viral raking up controversies for and against.
For Pinarayi Vijayan government, it’s an attempt to insulate the state from communal forces after Hindu conservatives led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress party unleashed ongoing protests against entry of women in Sabarimala temple. By building a 620 kilometer-long women chain from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram, the left government in Kerala aims to mobilize around four million women to make a history.
According to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Wall of Women is a “movement for equality, gender sensitivity and social awakening”.
“The LDF government in Kerala is committed to protect gender equality and acknowledge the contributions made by women revolutionaries who resisted draconian laws that chained women in the past. With wall of women and their parade on the New Year day, Kerala tells the world that we will not allow communal forces to kill the spirit of reformation in the state. It’s wall of resistance against discriminating women in social life,” Chief Minister Pinarayi pointed out.
“The protests led by communal forces against women’s entry in Sabarimala prompted the government and Left Democratic Front to organise Women’s Wall in the state. I appeal to all women cutting across caste religion to join the wall to reform Kerala from the forces of darkness,” Chief Minister emphasises his targets.
The chief minister and the LDF decided to build the wall of women for two reasons – to counter the reactionary political behavior of the Opposition and weaken BJP and Congress with a single shot.
CM Vijayan probed various means to sort out when Sabarimala women entry issue trapped his government after Supreme Court lifted the ban against women of 10 to 50 age group visiting the ancient Hindu temple on October 28. Nair Service Society, Pandalam Royals and Head Priest family protested against Supreme Court ruling with street parades and later Sangh floated Sabarimala Karma Samithi (Action Council) to protect Hindu rituals and traditions in Kerala. Congress too joined the protest bandwagon to win Nair community which accounts 14.46 per cent of the total population of the state.
Vijayan convened the meeting of Hindu organisations in the state to explain the government’s stand on the issue in December and 174 Hindu organisations participated in the meeting. It was Punnala Sreekumar, General Secretary of Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha, an organisation of Scheduled Castes who suggested the idea of Women’s Wall to salute heroes of reformation in the state. Sreekumar, 47, and his organisation had welcomed Supreme Court ruling on Sabarimala and was planning a conclave of women in support of women entry to the temple. Then Vellapally Nateshan led Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, the largest organization of Ezhava community too offered its support for the wall. Ezhavas constitute 22.6 per cent of Kerala’s population and its political outfit Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BJDS), a major ally of NDA in Kerala too came forward to support the government-sponsored Women’s Wall.
“The wall of women will be great success and a turning point in Kerala’s political history. We believe that without gender equality, a state would remain in shackles forever,” Punnala Sreekumar told India Today.
Vellapally Nadeshan, General Secretary of SNDP has announced that his wife and daughter-in-law (wife of Thushar Vellapally who is the President of BJDS) would join the wall and back the initiative with wide participation.
Caste and number game
Chief Minister Pinarayi and CPI-M have realised that good governance will not help LDF to corner maximum seats in next Lok Sabha poll from Kerala. In 2014 poll, LDF polled 40.12% votes and won 8 seats out of 20 parliamentary constituencies. But, Congress-led UDF polled only 40.27% votes and pocketed 12 seats. NDA got 10.33 vote share without opening an account.
In 2016 Assembly poll, LDF got 43.38% votes and 91 seats and UDF had to settle with 38.81% vote share and 47 seats whereas NDA with 15.10% votes and opening account with single seat. Here comes the Women’s wall as the Chief Minister is eyeing to keep 45% vote share as his dream for a sweeping victory.
With Sabarimala tremors, Pinarayi very well knew that he could not bank on Nairs in favour. So, he needs strong Hindu community base to pitch his electoral battle. Now he had made tactical understanding with SNDP, Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha and firebrand tribal leader CK Janu led Janadipathya Rashtriya Sabha who was a constituent of NDA by launching Women’s Wall for gender equality. He had outsmarted both Congress and BJP with his surgical strike. In a way, he was building a political wall for his safety when Congress and BJP were engaged in blocking women entry in Sabarimala.
Politically shrewd Pinarayi has camouflaged his ambitious plan with a reformation package and lined up liberals, marginalized and celebrities in the wall.
Malayalam actress Mala Parvathy believes that the Women’s Wall would be good for Pinarayi government and doom for Congress in Kerala. “The protest and debate in social media exposed the stand taken by Congress and BJP in Sabarimala issue. Thanks to them, their stand created a platform for women to showcase their pride,” Parvathy told India Today. Parvathy will be joining in the Wall from Kozhikode tomorrow.
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