‘Even God doesn't know what is happening in God's country'; HC criticizes hartal staged in Wayanad

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court harshly criticized the hartal staged by the LDF and UDF in Wayanad against the Centre’s stand for not announcing the landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala as a national disaster. The court said the situation is that even God does not know what is happening in God's own country. The court's harsh criticism was while considering a suo moto case in connection with the rehabilitation of Wayanad.

The high court asked both the opposition and the government what they achieved with the hartal. 'Kerala is known as God's own country as a tourist destination. However, even God does not know what is happening here. Why did the ruling party observe the hartal? The opposition allies' assurance that they would not call a lightning hartal was not followed,' pointed the court. The court demanded the advocate general to direct the government not to call any more hartals. It has also been instructed to inform the opposition about this.

The hartal observed by the LDF and UDF in Wayanad had crippled normal life. In most towns, hartal supporters blocked vehicles. In many places, protestors and motorists had verbal arguments. Mundakkai landslide victims also came out in solidarity with the hartal. In Meppadi, the vehicles were blocked under the leadership of the disaster victims. Around thirty people, residents of Mundakkai, and Chooralmala, came to protest.