IDUKKI: With only 16 days left in this year, Kerala saw 97 hartals in 2018. Only three short of century, all political parties played their part in this innings. Talking numbers, there was a hartal in every 3.58 days this year in Kerala. BJP is the party that called highest number of strikes with 26. Several religious and communal organizations called for hartals. Even some locals without any organizations called for strikes.

Suicides, murders, political encroachment, police actions were some of the reasons for these strikes. Hartal that was called on April 16 in protesting the rape and murder of a girl in Kashmir allegedly ended up in marring of stores in Malappuram which resulted in another Hartal by Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi.

Five hartals in the name of suicide

Five hartals were called in the name of suicide including the one yesterday. On February 26, Vyaypari Vyavasayi called for a hartal on the suicide of Bijuraj, a businessman who committed suicide upon receiving a notice Income Tax Department. There was a LDF hartal on April 7, following the suicide of a householder. UDF called for a hartal on July 16 protesting suicide of a couple who were allegedly held for theft. On July 16, BMS organized a hartal after a youngster committed suicide.

Hartal by numbers

BJP – 26

UDF – 23

LDF – 15

Vyapari Vyavasayi - 11

In 2017

BJP-41 LDF-18 UDF-27