Wayanad: Wayanad district in Kerala witnessed widespread disruptions on Tuesday as both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal to protest the lack of assistance from the Central government for landslide victims.
The CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF called for the hartals separately, demanding that the Union government declare the landslides that struck the region earlier this year a "national disaster" and provide urgent relief. Both parties allege that the central government has failed to provide the necessary support, despite several months having passed since the calamity.
The LDF accused the BJP-led Union government of withholding aid for political reasons, alleging that grievances against the state influenced the Centre's stance. Meanwhile, the UDF criticized the state government for not doing enough to alleviate the suffering of the landslide survivors.
The hartal resulted in widespread shop closures across the district and vehicle blockades in several areas, causing significant traffic snarls. State-run KSRTC buses continued to operate under police escort, while private vehicles were able to ply with minimal interruptions.
In Lakkidi, a brief confrontation took place between UDF workers and the police during a vehicle blockade.
Later in the day, both the LDF and UDF are expected to hold protest marches in major towns across the district.
The landslides, which occurred on July 30, devastated parts of three villages—Punchirimattam, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai—and sections of Attamala. Official reports state that the disaster claimed 231 lives, with 47 still missing. The state government has been seeking additional support from the Centre, but tensions escalated last week after the Union government informed Kerala that current disaster response guidelines do not allow for the declaration of a "national disaster."
As the political standoff continues, residents of Wayanad are still waiting for the much-needed aid and assistance for recovery.
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