The United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) jointly organized a hartal in Wayanad on Tuesday, November 19, to protest the handling of the Chooralmala-Mundakkai landslide disaster. The hartal, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., called for shops to remain closed and vehicles to stay off the roads as a show of solidarity. While UDF activists held marches in Kalpetta, Mananthavady, and Sultan Bathery, LDF members organized demonstrations across the district. Early reports noted that vehicles, including KSRTC buses, continued to operate in some areas like Kalpetta despite the hartal.
The UDF’s protest aimed to highlight the shortcomings of the Central and Kerala governments in addressing the aftermath of the landslides, while the LDF criticized the Centre’s refusal to classify the disaster as a “national disaster.” This decision came after Kerala’s request to declare the July 30 landslides, which caused over 400 fatalities, as a national calamity. The Centre clarified that no provision exists to label any disaster as a “national disaster,” a stance that drew widespread political criticism. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi called the decision a “shocking injustice” to the victims.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityananda Rai, reiterated that disaster management is the primary responsibility of state governments, with the Centre providing logistical and financial assistance as needed. In a letter to Kerala’s representative, Rai explained that declaring a disaster as “national” was not legally feasible. Critics argued this decision denied the state additional central aid, further intensifying discontent among political groups and the public in Wayanad.