The CPI(M)-led ruling lDF will observe a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in Kerala on Monday as part of the Opposition parties’ nation-wide protest over the demonetisation of large-denomination currency notes. The hartal is expected to throw out of gear the life of ordinary people who are already stressed by the cash crunch brought about by the currency demonetisation.
The CPI(M) has said that essential services and banks would be exempted from the shutdown but it would be difficult for the banks to function normally and people would find it difficult to reach banks. The shutdown is most likely to be a total success as it is being sponsored by the ruling front itself.
The State CPI(M) chose to observe the Opposition parties’ nationwide protest with a shutdown as the party’s Politbureau had allowed its state units to adopt methods of agitation as per regional peculiarities. The shutdown in Kerala is also in protest against the Centre’s refusal to allow the primary cooperative societies to exchange demonetized notes like the commercial banks.
The shutdown plan of the left has brought out the chinks in the unity among the State’s parties opposing the currency demonetisation with the Congress and the Opposition UDF it leads terming it as a move that would increase the difficulties of the ordinary people. The UDF would stage its protest against the demonetiSation with a march to the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.