Kochi: A slew of social activists and organizations have decried the hostile reaction against 12-hour self-respect hartal called by 30 different dalit organizations in the state on Monday to protest against the Supreme Court verdict on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Act and the violence against members of the dalit community in different parts of North India. Many of the activists have taken the social media for drumming up support for the hartal even as traders, bus operators and many other organised segments said they would function normally on Monday.
The unprecedented hostility shown by a section of people against the hartal is only a manifestation of the inherent upper-caste and upper class bias against the dalits, says C.P. Rasheed, president Janakeeya Manushayavakasa Prasthanam.
Echoing similar sentiment C.A. Ajithan, a Thrissur-based trade union activist, said the hostility shown against the hartal exposes the superficiality of the progressive character Kerala. C.S. Murali, a dalit activist and writer says: “The concerted criticism and opposition to the hartal is the racial prejudice prevailing against the dalits”. This is something that cannot be concealed by mouthing progressive ideas, he added.
According to Murali, supporters of the hartal will assemble at the High Court Jn at 6 in the morning and will hold a meeting and protest marches. “We will request the shop owners, bus operators and others to cooperate with hartal in a peaceful manner. We hope that traders and bus operators will understand the situation and cooperate with us”, he added. The supporters of the hartal also cautioned the people to be wary against the possibilities of violence likely to be triggered by anti-dalit forces to defame the dalits. The Ernakulam central police meanwhile has released 16 persons arrested for holding a demonstration in the city in support of the hartal on Saturday.
