Caste census demand; Welfare Party surrounds Secretariat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Welfare party surrounded the secretariat with the demands of conducting a caste census in Kerala, leaving aided appointments to PSC and implementing proportional representation in the government service. The event was inaugurated by Atheeq Rahman, National Treasurer of the Welfare Party with State President Razak Paleri presiding over it. Dr Aravind Kumar, Faculty of KR Narayanan Center for Dalit and Minority Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi delivered the keynote address.

Tensions escalated when the police attempted to forcefully disperse the workers resulting in a conflict. Among the speakers were Welfare Party State General Secretary Surendran Karipuzha, Vanikavashya Sangam State General Secretary Kuttappan Chettiyar, SDPI State President Muvattupuzha Ashraf Maulavi, K.K. Baburaj, K. Ambujakshan, Dr S Sarangdharan, O. P. Ravindran, Jamaat-e-Islami State Secretary Shihab Pookotoor, J. Raghu, GROW Vasu, Muslim Jamaat Federation Organizing Secretary Kadaikal Junaid, KPMS Secretariat member Baiju Kalashala, RMPI central committee member KS Hariharan, former director of the minority welfare department P. Naseer, CSDS state committee member Sreekumar, Jamaat council president Karamana Bayar Shefrin and Welfare Party district president Ashraf Kallara.

The gathering encompassed various leaders addressing the pressing need for a caste census and other significant reforms with heated discussions characterizing the event. The police intervention added to the intensity of the situation leading to a conflict among the workers.