Traders have put off their decision to keep all shops open from July 15 after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called up Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi president T Nasiruddin and promised to review their demands.
Samithi sources said that the Chief Minister had assured Nasiruddin that he was willing to once again consider their demands. The Chief Minister will meet the the representatives of traders on July 16, Friday.
Earlier in the day, after their talks with Kozhikode collector had failed, the traders had reconfirmed their decision to open all shops from July 15 in violation of COVID-19 protocols.
A day after he threatened traders with dire consequences, the Chief Minister himself had taken the initiative to defuse the situation.
The Chief Minister's perceived threat on July 13 to physically crush any attempts by the trading community to violate lockdown restrictions had invited widespread condemnation. Besides the Opposition, the Left-leaning traders' body, Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi, and CPM's lone MP A M Ariff had also come out in support of traders.
The Samithi's state president, and former CPM MLA, V K C Mammed Koya, had said on Wednesday that steps should be taken to open shops on all days. He said there was no one to listen to the woes of the trading community. "There are practical issues in keeping the shops shut for so long," Koya said. "Till now the traders had cooperated to keep the virus in check. It will not be possible to continue in this manner," he said while inaugurating a protest in front of Kozhikode Collectorate on Wednesday. The Samithi had staged protests in front of district collectorates and Secretariat on Wednesday.
The timing of the protests staged by the Left-leaning traders' body is significant. It had organised the statewide protests a day after the Chief Minister hinted at harsh measures to stifle agitating traders.
MP A M Ariff, has shot off a letter to the Chief Minister urging him to allow the opening of shops on all days adhering to Covid protocols. "Most of the traders have already been pushed into a debt trap," Ariff said in his letter.
Referring to the Chief Minister's open threat to the traders, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan asked whether Kerala was being ruled by Stalin. "Who is the Chief Minister trying to intimidate," he asked. "If this is the way the government is going to approach the issue, we will stand by the traders if they want to open their shops," Satheesan said.
KPCC president G Sudhakaran said it was a survival issue for the traders. "Going by the Chief Minister's response, it looks like he has not understood the gravity and extent of the problems faced by traders," Sudhakaran said. "The shops have been closed for a long time. Even if there is no business, these traders are obliged to pay rent and taxes. For how long can they bear this burden without any income. It was only as a last resort that they spoke of opening their shops on all days," Sudhakaran said. "It might be wrong from the government's point of view. But these traders seek reassurance. Instead of providing them some solace, the Chief Minister is using the language of street thugs. The Chief Minister has sued such language against a group of people on the verge of suicide,” he said.
Sudhakaran used the occasion to once again remark that Pinarayi Vijayan was unfit for the job. "There is an old proverb that says that it is foolish to put a leech on a silk bed. Pinarayi is proving the adage true by his actions," Sudhakaran said.
Like the opposition leader, KPCC president also said that the Congress would back the traders if the Chief Minister attempts to unleash action against them.
Indian Union Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty, too, said that any attempt to let loose the police on agitating traders would be opposed. "The Chief Minister's approach that refuses to acknowledge the plight of the traders would not work," Kunhalikutty said in Malappuram.
On July 13, while talking to reporters in New Delhi, the Chief Minister had looked deeply provoked by a question about the traders' decision to violate lockdown restrictions and open all shops from July 15. I have only one thing to say about this. We can understand their feelings, and we have no issues standing by them. But if they have other intentions, we will take them on in a manner that is naturally required in such situations. They should be aware of this while playing their game," he said.
As it stands, shops, except those selling essential goods, can open only thrice a week. The government announced marginal relaxations on July 13, like allowing shops to function an hour more, but has still not allowed shops to open on all days.
