Kochi: The state-wide hartal call of the United Democratic Front (UDF) on October 13 has ended in a flip-flop as the leadership was forced change the date to October 16 in the wake of mounting criticism on the impropriety of holding hartal on the day of the FIFA-U-17 football match in Kochi.
The hartal called when two champions of anti-hartal movement— Ramesh Chennithala and M.M. Hassan — occupy top slots in the Congress as leader of the opposition and KPCC president in the state, has triggered opposition even amongst Congress leaders and activists.
Hibi Eden MLA has openly expressed disappointment over the shutdown call and spoke to Congress leaders to reconsider the decision given the football match in Kochi. His Facebook post received more than 700 likes within an hour.
K. Sethuraj, a Youth Congress leader in the city, said the decision to hold a hartal on the day of World Cup match cannot be justified. In a statement on Wednesday evening, UDF chairman Ramesh Chennithala said it was being postponed to October 16 taking into account the requests made by football lovers in the state. But even the release by Mr Chennithala has been prepared cavalierly as at one place the date has been mentioned as October 12.
It may be recalled that Mr Hassan had held a one-day fast against hartal while Mr Chennithala moved a Bill against the culture in the state Assembly.
Kochi, one of the venues of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the country, has been scheduled to host two matches, between Germany and Guinea and Spain and North Korea on October 13.
