Kochi: The Kerala High Court has slammed the Youth Congress (YC) for calling an impromptu hartal in the state after two of its workers were killed in Kasaragod Sunday night.
The HC took a suo motu case against the YC after it called for the hartal in the wee hours of Monday. The sudden call for hartal is in violation of the HC ruling that said no strike can be called in the state without a prior notice of at least seven days. The HC on Monday said YC's call for hartal amounted to contempt of court.
The court sought to know who were behind the hartal and warned that they would have to face dire consequences. The court also sought to know the steps taken by the government to counter the hartal. While pointing out that everyone was duty-bound to implement the court ruling, the HC asked the government not to stop services.
The HC has issued notices to three people, including YC state president Dean Kuriakose.
Meanwhile, Dean Kuriakose said that the party would fight the case legally.
"The court is liable to protect the lives of the citizens. Two of our innocent colleagues were brutally hacked to death," he added.
The Kerala HC had in January ruled that political parties, organisations and individuals who call for hartals were bound to give seven days' prior notice.
The court made the comment while hearing a petition moved by the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Thrissur-based NGO 'Malayala vedi against hartals' against shutdowns in the state.
The court further said that organisations and individuals, who call for hartal, shall be responsible for loss and damages caused on account of the shutdown.
It said in the absence of adequate enactments, hartals have become a continuous process. Such flash hartals would affect the state's economy as well as the country's tourism prospects.
The bench said though right to protest exist, that shall not affect the citizens' fundamental rights.
The hartal has affected life in Kerala with public transport keeping off the roads and business establishments remaining shut.
Kripesh and Sharathlal were hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Kasaragod late Sunday night. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the ruling CPM and expressed his strong protest against the double murder. However, the CPM has denied any role in the killings.
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