Wayanad: Traders to boycott Independence Day to support farmer family

KOZHIKODE: Hundreds of traders  will observe a hunger strike in front of the Wayanad collectorate on Monday (August 15) boycotting Independence Day celebrations seeking justice for a farmer family. The  traders of Upper Bazaar at Kalpetta will  boycott the I-Day celebrations as a mark of solidarity with Treessa and James, the farming family who have been on a year-long agitation. Karshaka Sangham, the farmers’ arm of the CPM,  will also organise a sit-in in front of the Collectorate on Monday.  

Mr K.K. James, son-in-law of the  late farmer Kanjirathinal George,  has been on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the collectorate since August 15, 2015 demanding justice. Organized under the banner of Collectorate Bazar Vyapari Samithy, the traders would also utilise the money they used to spend for the celebration for the fight of the family.  The usual payasam distribution and other programmes will not be held on Monday.

George and his brother Jose had bought the 12  acres of Janmam patta land in 1967. In 1977, the  forest department attempted to evict the farmer claiming that the department had notified the land under Kerala Private Forest Vesting and Assignment Act. As the move was illegal,  the forest tribunal in a verdict recognized the right of the farmer in 1978. But later, forest officials fabricated evidence and won the case in a series of legal wrangles. 

The  forest department again notified the land in 2012. Both George and his wife Elikkutti  died by then. Convener of the Samithy  M.C. Sudheerkumar  told Deccan Chronicle that they had been  witnessing the prolonged fight of the family for justice. “So we decided to help them instead of celebrating I-Day,”  he said.  Mr James told DC that the traders’   community had always extended their support to his agitation and he thanked them for their compassion.   Various political parties had also asked the previous  UDF government to ensure justice to  the family.