Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is at a grinding halt as the state has been observing almost complete 'hartal' in support of 'Bharat Bandh' called by the Samyukth Kisan Union against contentious farm laws. Normal life is at standstill in Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. As Kerala High Court had banned 'bandh' in the state in 1997, 'bandh' is observed as 'hartal' in the state.
Both ruling party Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) have extended solidarity to the hartal being observed from 6am to 6pm on Monday. Public transport including Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus service was hit as all trade unions extended support to the hartal.
Markets are completely closed while government offices are partially closed. Trade union leaders, said the state-wide hartal would be peaceful and there would be no blocking of vehicles or forced shutting down of shops. Shops and institutions are remaining closed while essential services are allowed.
It is the first 'hartal' the state is observing for last 18 months due to Covid protocols. The Bharatiya Janata Party refrained from supporting the hartal and rather termed it as "anti-people."
September 27 marks the first anniversary of the enactment of the farm laws. Farmers' unions and supporters have been pressing on its rollback since the Acts were passed as law by the Parliament.
Meanwhile, more than 500 farmer organisations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society have extended their support for the bandh. State governments of Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have also extended their support for the Bharat Bandh.
No 'Bandh' in Kerala
'Bandh' was banned in the state by a full bench of Kerala High Court in 1997. In 2000, the Kerala HC observed that enforcement of a hartal by a party or association or organisation by "force, intimidation — physical or mental — and coercion" was "unconstitutional." The bench also asked the organisers of bands to give compensation to Government and citizens for losses suffered from destructions during the bandh. "Organisers of bandhs are to compensate the Government, the public and private citizens for losses suffered due to destruction during the bandh," HC pronounced the order. "Exercise of a right of protest should not infract the fundamental right of another citizen who is equally entitled to exercise his/her rights. A bandh call implied threat to life and property of a citizen," HC added.
In January 2013, the Supreme Court upheld the Kerala High Court judgement declaring forced bandhs in the state illegal.
Bandh promptly renamed as hartal
Considering the court order, protests are held in Kerala in the title of 'hartal'. Kerala has been witnessing hartals that put normal life to a standstill. Kerala HC has made a seven-day notice for hartal or strikes as mandatory in its January 2019 order.
Kerala High Court on September 24, 2021, directed the state government to ensure that the court’s decision against hartals is implemented while ensuring the fundamental rights of citizens. The full bench had directed to take stringent action against incidents of violence in hartals and said that during a hartal or general strike, the government should take adequate steps to ensure the normal life of citizens is not paralysed.
Also read: Bharat Bandh: Police detain protesters in Tamil Nadu; shops remain shut in Puducherry
