Protest brewing against denial of Tirur halt for Vande Bharat Express

Protest is strengthening in Malappuram district against the alleged denial of a halt at Tirur for the newly introduced semi high-speed Vande Bharat Express train.

Protest is strengthening in Malappuram district against the alleged denial of a halt at Tirur for the newly introduced semi high-speed Vande Bharat Express train.

The Railways had included several stations, including Tirur, for stops during Vande Bharat trial runs. It will have a stop at Tirur on the inaugural run on Tuesday as well. However, the Railways has not allotted a permanent halt for this train at Tirur.

Tirur station premises witnessed protests by different political parties and organisations in the last two days, demanding a halt for Vande Bharat Express. The protestors alleged that denial of a halt at Tirur was Railways’ neglect towards Malappuram district.

Kurukkoli Moideen, MLA, inaugurated a march to Tirur railway station taken out by the Muslim Youth League. Pointing that Tirur is one of the high-revenue stations in the State, Mr. Moideen warned that the Youth League will intensify its agitation if the Union government did not change its policy. Muslim Youth League national general secretary V.K. Faizal Babu delivered the keynote address.

The CPI(M) took out a protest march on Sunday evening under the banner of the party’s Thazhepalam area committee. The party too warned that they would launch an agitation if the demand for a halt at Tirur was not met.

The Welfare Party of India (WPI) took out a protest march to Tirur station on Sunday. It alleged that the Union government continued its neglect towards Malappuram by denying a halt for the new train at Tirur. WPI district president Nasar Keezhuparamba inaugurated the protest.

The Kerala Muslim Jamat district committee submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, demanding a halt for Vande Bharat Express at Tirur.