Traders call off protest plan
KOZHIKODE: Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi ( KVVES), the traders’ oufit which is on warpath with state government over COVID-19 curbs, on Wednesday called off the decision to open the shops on Thursday defying orders to keep shops closed as part of restrictions.
The standoff was avoided following discussions with the government on Wednesday. Ater brief talks between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and KVVES state president T Nazirudeen, it was decided to call of protests and hold further talks on Friday.
The traders are out on the streets protesting against the COVID-19 regulations which allowed functioning on alternate days.
They have missed many festival occasions, which account for a sizeable portion of their revenues, due to restrictions imposed by the government from time to time.
They also complain that the classification of COVID prevalence according to Test Positivity Rate ( TPR) is unscientific.
Restrictions oten lead to heavy rush on the days the shops are allowed to function, they argue. In a bid to intensify the protest, KVVES declared to open the shops on Thursday in defiance of government directive in this regard.
Opposition political parties and even some let leaning organisations have questioned the logic of keeping the shops closed on the basis of TPR. Indian Medical Association (IMA) also called for maintaining more working hours for shops so that rush could be avoided. Bowing to rising opposition, government decided to ease restrictions but insisted on keeping the shops closed on alternate days especially when experts have issued warning on the onset of a third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
The KVVS, an organisation owing allegiance to ruling Communist Party of India — Marxist (CPIM), also criticised the government with regard to lockdown regulations. Former MLA and the president KVVS, VKC Mammed Koya, termed the COVID-19 regulations in Kerala totally unscientific.
“We are not challenging the government but protests are a genuine atempt to inform the government about our grievances,” Mammed Koya said.