Idukki: Mariyakutty, an 85-year-old woman who staged a protest over the prolonged delay in the disbursal of welfare pension, will approach the Kerala High Court against the CPM's ‘propaganda’ against her. Mariyakutty and another woman, Annamma Ouseph, had staged a seeking-alms protest by holding earthen pots, in Adimaly town, on Wednesday.
Following the protest, the CPM said Jincy Mathew, the chairperson of the Adimaly grama panchayat development standing committee and ward member of 200 Acre, was responsible for the delay in pension disbursal. The party said Jincy Mathew had delayed the mustering process. There were widespread reports, allegedly spread by the CPM, saying that Mariyakutty owned an acre-and-half of land and two houses.
On Tuesday, the Mannamkandam village officer certified that Mariyakutty owned no properties in the jurisdiction. Earlier, she had filed an application seeking details of her land ownership, if any, in Adimaly.
Mariyakutty is expected to seek an HC directive to the government to ensure timely disbursal of pension. She will also reportedly seek action against the spread of misinformation regarding her financial status and assets.
There were also widespread rumours that Mariakutty’s daughter was employed abroad. In response, she sought the ‘help’ of the CPM to ‘locate’ her daughter abroad.
The protest by the two senior citizens had garnered widespread attention for its novelty and the way in which it threw light on their plight. Mariyakutty held an earthen pot to seek alms while Annamma Ouseph held a handwritten placard that stated their case: “Disburse the widow pension dues. Show justice to the poor. Don’t pilfer from the poor's pot. I have no means to pay the electricity bill.”
Mariyakutty of Ponooduthupara, near Koobanpara Kavala, and Annamma Ouseph of Polijnapalam Thanikuzhi at 200 Acre in Idukki’s Adimaly, are among the underprivileged members of society who rely on the government’s social security and widow pension schemes for sustenance.
As the state government’s welfare pensions had not been disbursed for four months, the two women, who earned a living by making bamboo products, chose to protest.
Meanwhile, the Youth Congress has announced that they would help the two women in getting legal aid.
