The Hindu : UDF fast against 'politics of violence'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

UDF fast against 'politics of violence'

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM March 24. The Kerala Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, today led his Cabinet and UDF colleagues in an eight-hour fast to highlight the `politics of violence' of the CPI(M) and put his Government's development agenda back on rails.

The Chief Minister reserved the best part of his brief inaugural speech to launch a fusillade against the CPI(M) which, he said, had taken the path of destruction just when the State was about to make a breakthrough in development.

He said, "Those who indulge in violence should reconsider whether their positions would be in Kerala's interest.'' He added that his Government would go ahead with its development agenda.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Kerala Raksha Yatra, led by the UDF convener, Oommen Chandy. The `yatra' would take off formally from Parassala and pass through the 140 constituencies before concluding in Kasaragod on April 7.

The UDF leadership evidently wanted to project the face of its unity as could be seen by the presence of an array of UDF leaders. Except for two Ministers, M. K. Muneer and K.V. Thomas, all others in the Antony Cabinet participated in the fast. The prominent absentee was the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran. The veteran had expressed his opposition to the fast, but today it was officially stated that he could not attend the fast due to health reasons.

Mr. Chandy, the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, the KPCC executive member, Padmaja Venugopal, MPs and MLAs attended the fast. The State presidents and other office-bearers of the UDF constituents also participated. All through the day, various UDF organisations came in processions one after the other to express solidarity with the fasting UDF leaders.

The fast and Mr. Chandy's `yatra' highlighted the anti-war sentiments of the UDF. Mr. Chandy is being accompanied by two members each from the UDF constituents.

The UDF leadership went one step further by filming a documentary highlighting the `politics of violence' practised by the CPI(M). The documentary traced the efforts of the UDF to nurse the State's poor financial health and its development initiatives. It also has clips from the Muthanga incident and the violent hartals of the LDF. These clips give the UDF's version of the issues it has highlighted. The documentary trains its guns on the V. S. Achuthanandan.

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