The Kerala High Court rebuked the UDF and LDF for organizing a hartal in Wayanad on November 19, criticizing it as counterproductive and against public interest. The court highlighted ongoing rehabilitation delays after the July landslides and stressed the need for a responsible political approach. It will monitor compliance with relief measures in the next hearing on November 29.
Kerala: The Kerala High Court on Friday delivered a sharp rebuke to the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) for calling a hartal in landslide-hit Wayanad on November 19. The political parties had organized the strike to protest delays in receiving financial aid from the Central government for rehabilitation efforts in the disaster-struck region.
A Bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Syam Kumar VM criticized the flash hartals as detrimental and contrary to public interest, emphasizing that such actions are against court directives.
“Flash Hartals Are Anti-People”
The Court expressed its displeasure over the hartals, labeling them unnecessary and ineffective in addressing the concerns at hand.
“We read something very disturbing, both UDF and LDF called for a hartal. This is so anti-people. Flash hartals like these, despite court orders against them, are unacceptable. The opposition UDF, which announced it wouldn’t support such actions, participated. Hartals are meant for grave injustices. What purpose does this serve? Does it address the disaster or the larger issue? Saying the Centre isn’t giving funds and calling for a hartal, as if that would bring funds. This is simply unreasonable,”
the Court remarked.
The Bench emphasized that such conduct would face stricter scrutiny in the future.
“Please inform the government and the political parties that such conduct will not be tolerated by the Court. When it is anything anti-people, all parties seem to come together. This is very distressing conduct,”
Justice Nambiar added.
Ongoing Rehabilitation Challenges in Wayanad
The hartal came in the backdrop of ongoing rehabilitation challenges in Wayanad, which has yet to recover from the devastating landslides of July 30, 2023. The Kerala High Court is monitoring the disaster relief efforts as part of a suo motu case.
During earlier hearings, the Court had voiced concerns over delays in the disbursement of National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) allocations for Kerala. The Centre explained that NDRF funds require post-disaster assessments and inspections, which were still underway in Wayanad.
To address immediate needs, the Centre suggested that Kerala use the surplus in its State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF), which includes contributions from the Central government. However, this position was opposed by the Kerala government and Senior Advocate Ranjith Thampan, appearing as amicus curiae, who argued that other States had received NDRF funds without such final assessments.
Centre Approves Rs 153.467 Crores for Relief Efforts
In its latest affidavit, the Central government informed the Court that a high-level committee meeting on November 16 approved the release of Rs 153.467 crores from the NDRF. These funds would be adjusted against the balance in Kerala’s SDRF. Additionally, the Centre approved assistance for airdropping essential supplies and clearing debris.
The affidavit noted that Kerala had conducted a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) estimating Rs 2,219.03 crores for reconstruction. However, the report was submitted to the Centre only on November 13, which contributed to the delay in aid approval.
Court to Continue Monitoring the Case
The Kerala High Court has scheduled the next hearing for November 29 to assess compliance with relief measures and further developments in the case. The Bench reiterated the need for effective disaster management and cautioned against any actions that disrupt relief efforts.
A Call for Accountability
The Court’s criticism underscores the need for a responsible approach from political parties during crises. While hartals have historically been a tool for highlighting public grievances, the High Court’s observations bring attention to their counterproductive impact on disaster-hit communities. As Wayanad works towards recovery, the focus must remain on ensuring timely and effective relief measures rather than disruptive protests.
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