The Kerala High Court, on Friday, openly criticized both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) for conducting a hartal in Wayanad, which is still recovering from severe landslides. Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and K V Jayakumar, presiding over the case, labeled the action as “irresponsible” and “unacceptable”.
During a hearing focused on the prevention and management of natural disasters in Kerala, the bench expressed its dissatisfaction with the political response to the tragedy in Wayanad, where recent landslides have claimed over 200 lives and devastated three villages. “How can such a hartal be justified in a region suffering from a major disaster?” questioned the justices.
The hartal, held on November 19, was a form of protest by both the LDF and UDF against what they claim is insufficient central government aid following the disaster. The parties have been urging the BJP-led union government to recognize the landslide as a national disaster and to accelerate assistance for the affected communities.
Despite the political unrest, the central government has reported ongoing efforts to aid the region, with Rs 153 crore already allocated from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) for immediate relief operations. The state government’s estimated losses from the disaster amount to Rs 2,219 crore.
