Thiruvananthapuram: The 620-km 'Women's Wall', which came up mostly along the western edge of the state, looked solid all through except for its northern tip that was damaged by violence.
Clashes between BJP and CPM workers at Chettukund on the way to Bekal prevented women from forming a wall in the area, which fell in the final northern stretch between Kanhangad and Kasaragod. The CPM alleged that BJP workers had set fire to the grasslands on either side of the highway making it impossible for women to form the wall in the area. Police had to hurl grenades to disperse the crowd.
Media personnel of two television channels were also attacked by the activists, who reportedly forced them to delete the visuals of the incident.
According to K Sreekanth, BJP Kasaragod district president, the violence was allegedly a handiwork of CPI(M) as the 'Women's wall" was a failure in the northernmost district.
CPI(M) district secretary, M V Balakrishnan, slamming the BJP, alleged that BJP workers had burnt grass and shrubs after sprinkling chilly powder and 13 women were hospitalised inhaling the fumes.
While social justice minister K K Shylaja stood at the northern end of the 'Wall', CPM politburo member Brinda Karat was at its southern edge. Most of the speakers at the meetings held simultaneously across the state right after the wall was formed were women. A message that the 'Wall' was not government sponsored but only had its backing was also sought to be send.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, though he was on the dais in Thiruvananthapuram, did not make a public speech. He, with V S Achuthanandan on his side, was a silent spectator to what was happening. The most political of speeches on the day was delivered by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan in Alappuzha. He tore into his NSS counterpart Sukumaran Nair, and also opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala whom he called the most casteist politician in the state. Significantly, he was silent about the BJP or Sangh Parivar forces.
The government had earlier claimed that 50 lakh women would be part of the wall. This would have meant that 30 percent of the total women population in the state, including those over 70 and those below 18, would have taken part -- a figure most consider an impossibility.
The 'Women's wall' was conceived in the backdrop of frenzied protests witnessed in the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement the Supreme Court verdict, allowing all women to pray at the Ayyappa shrine.
Representatives of Universal Record Forum (URF) which records amazing feats across the globe declared the human wall as the "longest women's wall in the world" with participation of over 35 lakh women.
However, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan claimed 55 lakh women lined up for the 'wall'.
CPI(M) polit bureau member Brinda Karat, who was the last member of the human wall at Thiruvananthapuram, said women in Kerala have scripted history by erecting a "human wall of resistance" against the dark forces.
She also lashed out at the saffron party, saying it was using women for its "toxic, divisive, anti-women political goal" and asked women not to be the pawns in the hands of those who have no thoughts about the future of women.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues and Communist veteran V S Achuthanandan were among those who were present at the public meeting here after the formation of the wall.
Pinarayi garlanded the statue of Ayyankali, a social reformer, before the start of the event.
The wall has become a movement against gender discrimination faced by women and to protect their Constitutional rights, he said.
The initiative also witnessed a group of the Jacobite faction of the Christian community lining up in support of the wall along with members of the Muslim community.
Former firebrand communist leader and Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy supremo, 100-year-old K R Gowriamma also took part in the event near her home at Alappuzha.
Jhonson V Idikula, chairman of the monitoring panel of the URF Adjudication Committee, told PTI they had over 600 volunteers across the state to monitor the event.
"We have recorded the event, clicked pictures and captured videos to prepare a comprehensive report," Idikula said.
However, the main Opposition Congress, which all through had expressed their ire against the wall, said "Kerala society has dismissed the government's much-hyped event."
The BJP state leadership dubbed the wall a "total failure" and waste of government funds and machinery.
G Sukumaran Nair, heading the Nair Service Society (NSS), which kept away from the event, said 'God's Own Country' will turn into 'Devil's Own Country' after formation of such walls.
A group of women in New Delhi Tuesday also expressed solidarity with their counterparts in Kerala by holding a demonstration outside Kerala House at the national capital's Jantar Mantar road where members of National Federation of Indian Women held placards saying, "Equality and Justice is Women's Constitutional Right".
The 'Women's wall' was suggested at a meeting called by the Kerala government, following massive protests by right-wing parties and a section of devotees over the government's decision to implement the September 28 apex court order, allowing women of all ages to offer prayers at Sabarimala.
Support from London too
A human chain was formed in London in support of the Women's Wall. Hundreds of people took part in the event outside the High Commission of India central London on Monday. Left outfits, writers and Keralite Labour Party members organised the event in the UK.
Ensuring gender equality
The proposed wall was suggested at a meeting called by the Kerala government in the backdrop of frenzied protests by right-wing parties and a section of devotees over the state's decision to implement the September 28 apex court order, allowing women of all ages into Sabarimala.
"Finding a solution to the issues faced by women is seen as part of the class struggle,"Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Monday, adding that ensuring gender equality was part of class struggle.
In Marxist ideology, class struggle is the conflict of interests between workers and the ruling class in a capitalist society.
"The protests by communal forces against women's entry in Sabarimala prompted the government and other progressive organisations to build Women's Wall in the state," Pinarayi had said, adding that all women, cutting across castes and religions, would join the wall "to save Kerala from the being dragged back into the era of darkness."
The Universal Records Forum, the team which records amazing feats across the globe, is also understood to have reached the state to witness the exercise.
The pledge for the women's wall, which was released by the Chief Ministers office Sunday, calls for upholding gender equality and renaissance values.
It also bats for secularism and to oppose the move to turn the state into a 'lunatic asylum.'
Not by the govt?
The state government had initially claimed that it would extend all support to the proposed wall, it withdrew the order, allotting funds for it, after a controversy erupted.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Tuesday claimed that the wall was not being organised by the government.
"The government merely supported a decision taken by various outfits. PRD campaigned for it. There is nothing wrong in it.
"It is not the government but the organising committee that is taking care of the finances," he added.
Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that even the government officials would take part in the event. He added that precautions have been taken to avoid traffic blocks.
SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan flayed NSS chief Sukumaran Nair for opposing the wall.
While senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has described the initiative as a 'wall of contradiction', UDF MLA M K Muneer had has termed it as a 'communal' wall for inviting participation only from 'progressive Hindu organisations'.
Meanwhile, a bus that was to ferry participants was attacked in Muthalamada in Palakkad. The front window glass were shattered in the attack. Both the driver and the cleaner were sleeping in the bus during the time of the attack.
The government has spared no effort to make the wall a huge success with all ministers given charge of either a district or a particular place for the success of the event.
The event is organised by the ruling CPI(M), along with over 176 other socio-political organisations, including the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS).
The Nair Service Society (NSS), RSS and the right-wing groups have opposed this move and formed Ayyappa Jyothi across the state on December 26 to counter it.
Thousands had taken part in the Ayyappa Jyothi, which was undertaken by the Sabarimala Karma Samiti.
The Kudambashree Mission had earlier informed that it alone will field over 1.25 lakh women on January 1.
Many prominent personalities from all spheres of life are expected to take part in the event.
