Idukki: The Left Democratic Front has called for hartal in Idukki on January 9, Tuesday to mark its protest against the governor for refusing to give assent to the Kerala Govt Land Assignment Amendment Bill that passed in the assembly in September 2023. The district is likely to witness a political drama on this day as Governor Arif Muhammad Khan will reach here to inaugurate the welfare scheme of Kerala Vyapari Vyavasai Ekopana Samiti (KVVES) meant for families of the traders.

KVVES district functionaries said that they had contacted the office of the governor (ADC) requesting whether the date of the event could be changed as LDF organised a protest march to Raj Bhavan on January 9. 

“But we were told by the ADC that there is no other day in January on which the governor will be available. So, regardless of the hartal called by LDF, we have decided to conduct the inauguration of the scheme on January 9. The cops and security officer will see into the protection of the governor and our members will camp in Thodupuzha on the eve of hartal and more than 500 of them will come by walk to the programme,” KVVES district president Sunny Paimbillil told Onmanorama.

Declaring hartal in the press meet conducted in Thodupuzha on Saturday morning LDF Idukki convenor K K Sivaraman criticised KVVES for inviting the governor to the district on the day of the Raj Bhavan march.

“ Traders have the moral obligation to protest against the governor who has not yet given accent to the Bill which is meant to benefit traders as well,” he added.

Meanwhile, the KVVES district president said that his organization had chosen to invite the governor so that the event would get more reach among the public and the traders’ community. 

“We have no politics. Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan has inaugurated several of our programmes. Regarding the Land Assignment Amendment Bill, we have taken a stand that title deeds have to be distributed unconditionally to the beneficiaries. The present Bill which has put in place as many as five cesses including that for regularization, permit, environment and annual is not acceptable for us.” he added. 

The welfare scheme named 'Karunya' is meant to give Rs 5 lakh aid to the families in case of the death of vendors who are part of the scheme.     

Senior CPM leader and former power minister M M Mani had snubbed the trader's organization for inviting the governor to the district for the event while addressing a public gathering at Kattappana on Friday. "It is a shame that the governor who has not signed the Bill is setting foot in Idukki district," Mani said.