Kerala - Kochi   

Hartal affects life in city

Staff Reporter

Public transport vehicles off the road; a few vehicles damaged

POOR PATRONAGE: The buses that ran in the city on Tuesday despite a hartal call had only a few passengers. — Photo: K.K. Mustafah

KOCHI: Life in the city was affected by a hartal, organised by the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), on Tuesday. Most public transport vehicles were off the road. Supporters of the hartal damaged a few vehicles in the early hours.

The hartal was called in protest against the World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference that got under way in Hong Kong.

Xavier, 38, of Njarakkal, and Benny, 34, of Edakochi, were arrested at Pallimukku for damaging a mini lorry near a petrol pump of the Civil Supplies Corporation at 4.45 a.m.

A private bus, plying between Vytilla and Thammanam, was attacked at Elamkulam. However, no case was registered as there was no complaint, police officials said.

A Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus was attacked at Poothotta at 1.30 a.m. The windscreens of the Thiruvananthapuram-bound bus were smashed by three persons who came on a motorbike. The driver of the bus was hurt. The Hill Palace police have registered a case.

Another KSRTC bus, coming to Ernakulam from Kozhikode, was attacked near Aluva Regional Workshop at 2 a.m. No one was injured. The Palarivattom police chased away two persons who came on a motorbike and attempted to stone a bus.

A case against the District Secretary of CPI(ML) was registered for the damage caused during the hartal, said P. Vijayan, City Police Commissioner.

The city police had taken out special patrols for the day, starting from Monday night. Nearly 90 pickets were set up in different parts of the city.

Bus services

The KSRTC operated 70 regular bus services. Though arrangements were made for additional services, they were not run, as there was no rush. The bus services to Sabarimala were not affected.

Private bus services to rural areas, such as Piravom and Kothamangalam, were affected. Nearly 60 per cent of the services were operated, said Kerala State Private Bus Owners and Operator Federation officials.

Classes affected

There were no classes in Maharajas College, as the number of students who turned up was less, said Augustine A. Thomas, Principal. Classes were disbursed in the afternoon at Bharat Mata College, Thrikakkara, because of poor attendance.

The work at District Collectorate too was affected. The attendance was less than 50 per cent, as there were very few public transport facilities, said A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, District Collector.

The Red Flag leader Charles George criticised the hartal.

Hartal criticised

Mr. George, Red Flag's Central Committee member, said the hartal, which had been called without the support of mass organisations and without preparing the people, was counter-productive and reactionary. "It was a hartal imposed on the people," he commented. In the long run, such agitations without mass participation would strengthen the hands of the State in their bid to totally ban hartals and mass protests. He noted that it was the 1997 NDF bandh that provoked the High Court to ban bandhs.

Mr. George told The Hindu that his organisation was not against hartal. Hartal was the people's way of protesting against wrong measures of the Government. The hartal was a people's right.

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