KL This Week: Ninth Session of Assembly from August 7

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the important developments across Kerala in the past week, including the death of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the Cabinet recommending the Governor of Kerala to convene the Assembly from August 7, protests held by various organisations condemning the violence in Manipur, and the failure of the Union and state governments in curbing the riots. 

LAKHS PAY TRIBUTES TO OOMMEN CHANDY

Oommen Chandy, 79, who served as the chief minister of Kerala twice, between 2004-2006 and 2011-16, breathed his last on July 18 in Bengaluru. He was cremated in Puthupally, his hometown, after a funeral procession from Thiruvananthapuram to Puthuppally in Kottayam district, which lasted for over 28 hours and covered around 152 km. The funeral was held without any state honours as per the wish of Chandy.

Lakhs of people gathered along the roads to pay tributes to the departed leader. He represented the Puthuppally Assembly constituency from 1970 without interruption for 53 years, winning 12 elections consecutively. The cremation was planned to be held at 2.30 pm on July 20 but was held only after 9 pm since the mortal remains arrived late in the town as thousands of people thronged the roads to catch a glimpse of the departed leader. 

Leaders of various political parties led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid tributes in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam, respectively. Senior Congress leaders, including A K Antony, Vayalar Ravi, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] polit bureau member M A Baby paid tributes. Several leaders who gathered for the meeting of the opposition parties had paid tributes in Bengaluru. 

Chandy, a veteran of Kerala politics, joined social life through the Kerala Students' Union and later became the president of the Youth Congress. 

DYFI ACTIVIST HACKED TO DEATH

Ambadi, a 21-year-old block-level leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), was hacked to death on July 19 in Kayamkulam in the Alappuzha district. CPI(M) alleged that a drug gang led by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) killed the activist for questioning the sale of drugs in the locality. 

DYFI state leaders V K Sanoj and V Vaseef received the body of Ambadi from the Government Medical College. CPI(M) leaders M A Baby and C S Sujatha paid their respects ahead of the funeral. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan visited the family of the deceased activist.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. The Alappuzha district leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rejected allegations of involvement in the killing. 

ASSEMBLY SESSION FROM AUGUST 7

The Cabinet has recommended the Governor to convene the Assembly session from August 7. The session will be the 9th session of the 15th Legislative Assembly. The Cabinet meeting also passed a resolution condoling the death of Chandy. 

HOUSES FOR TRANS COMMUNITY 

The CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan has promised that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government will ensure housing facilities for all the members of the transgender community within three years. He shared the information while addressing the state convention of the Democratic Transgender Federation of Kerala (DTFK). The local self-government department (LSGD) will carry out the plans to ensure the housing facilities.

He appealed to the transgender community to transform itself as a force in society. Govindan functioned as the minister of LSG before being elected as the CPI(M) state secretary. 

PROTEST AGAINST MANIPUR VIOLENCE

Different organisations, including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), and DYFI, held protests across the state condemning the failure of the BJP-led Union government and state government in Manipur in curbing the riots for more than two months. 

DYFI held protests across the state urging the Union and Manipur state governments to bring an end to the violence against the Kuki community. They condemned the long silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Biren Singh for 77 days. 

A protest rally and demonstration held by the SFI Ernakulam district committee. (Image courtesy: SFI Kerala) 

Protest rally held in Kasargod district by Students Federation of India (SFI). (Image courtesy: SFI Kerala)

AIDWA took out a rally against the Manipur violence in Thiruvananthapuram. (Courtesy: P K Sreemathy Teacher)

DYFI activists took out a rally in Thiruvananthapuram. (Image courtesy: DYFI Kerala)