Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC vice-president M.M. Hassan on Tuesday staged a 24-hour sit-in at Gandhi Park demanding an alternative venue for public protests instead of the secretariat.
Gandhian P. Gopinathan Nair inaugurated the fast, which is being attended by many partymen. In stark contrast, LDF MLAs staged a fast in front of the Assembly complex and the High Range Farmers Samithi thronged the secretariat.
Gandhi Park witnessed a plethora of supporters for Hassan’s cause, but LDF leaders were conspicuous by their absence.
The UDF and Congress leaders made a beeline to the sit-in, including Ramesh Chennithala, K.C. Joseph, V.S. Sivakumar, Abdusamad Samadani, Thomas Unniyadan, social activist B.R.P. Bhaskar and former chief secretary C. P. Nair.
Senior BJP leader O. Rajagopal also offered his support to Hassan. But the star attraction was Sandhya Suresh, the homemaker who created a flutter against the LDF siege of the Cliff House last month. Representatives of residents’ associations, Chamber of Commerce and traders also offered their support to the sit-in.
“I have been overwhelmed by the public support for the sit-in. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos will give me lime juice at 11 a.m. on Wednesday when I will break the fast,” Hassan told DC.
When he launched his sit-in, as always the secretariat road and one side of the road to the Assembly were barred for the public.
Thirteen LDF MLAs from areas affected by the Kasturirangan report staged a day-long sit-in in front of the Assembly.
High Range farmers also led a protest in front of secretariat against the implementation of the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports.
