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Kerala wall: 30 lakh women form 620-km Vanitha Mathil, take pledge to uphold gender equality
January 1, 2019
In a defining moment for feminist politics in Kerala, lakhs of women filled the roads from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram and took a pledge to protect the renaissance value and uphold gender equality.
Although the wall was organised by the state’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala, the women’s pledge reportedly had no reference to the shrine.
Here are 10 developments from the venue
1. Women actors from across the state and political leaders gathered at the venue to support the 620-km Vanitha Mathil or the women’s wall.
“Today’s women wall formation was an aim to strengthen gender equality. Women should no longer be pushed into dark sides,” CPM leader Brinda Karat said.
2. On Tuesday afternoon, Women from across 14 districts in Kerala reportedly started assembling by the side of the national highways by 3pm.
3. The event finally began at 4 pm and saw women of all ages thronging the venue.
3. The LDF government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said it won’t allow Kerala to be taken back to the dark ages, and that women have equal rights.
4. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac took take part in the event in Thiruvananthapuram.
5. Health Minister KK Shylaja was at the starting point in Kasaragod while Politburo member Brinda Karat joined everyone at Thiruvananthapuram.
6. With close to 30 lakh women attending the event, it is believed to the largest/longest women’s gathering in the world.
7. There were also reports of stone pelting from Bekal in Kasarkod district, aimed at the women participants.
8. The Kerala government has been facing heat from both the BJP and the Congress over its efforts to implement the Supreme Court verdict.
9. The top court struck down a ban that prevented women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, considered to be eternally celibate.
10. Swami Agnivesh was also seen greeting women forming the wall in Trivandrum.
