Free travel: BJP women’s wing protest over UDF promise backfires in Kerala, leaders raise objections

Thiruvananthapuram: Mahila Morcha, the women’s wing of the BJP, staged protests across Kerala on Friday, demanding free travel for women in KSRTC buses as promised by the UDF during the Assembly election.

Mahila Morcha leaders and activists boarded Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses from depots across the state and refused to take tickets.

In Kozhikode, around 20 Mahila Morcha activists boarded a KSRTC bus from the main bus stand and refused to pay the fare.

“The UDF had said during the election that free bus travel would be implemented from May 15. So we will not buy tickets. We will not allow people to be cheated with false promises,” a leader told reporters.

KSRTC staff informed the protesters that the new UDF government was yet to assume office and no directive had been issued on free travel. Following this, the protesters deboarded the bus.

When asked by reporters about rising fuel and cooking gas prices, the protesters did not provide a clear response.

They later said MP K C Venugopal had stated during a UDF poll campaign speech that the scheme would be implemented from May 15, without specifying that it would apply only after the UDF assumed office.

Bus protests across Kerala and responses

In Thiruvananthapuram, Mahila Morcha held a protest march before boarding a KSRTC bus and refusing to buy tickets.

“It is not our fault that the ministers have not been sworn in. They are engaged in group politics. Is it our mistake that despite the election results being announced two weeks ago, the government has not been formed,” a protester asked.

Free bus travel for women in KSRTC was one of the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi if the Congress-led UDF came to power in Kerala.

Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan and other ministers are scheduled to be sworn in on May 18 following the UDF’s victory in the Assembly election.

BJP internal criticism over protest

Reports have emerged that the Kerala BJP core committee criticised the Mahila Morcha protest, describing it as inappropriate.

The reported discussion also stated that the protest over KSRTC free travel not being implemented before the government assumed office was termed a mistake during the meeting. State general secretary S. Suresh was reportedly targeted in the criticism.

Senior leaders K. Surendran, V. Muraleedharan, P. C. George, and Padmaja Venugopal are said to have raised objections.

State BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar reportedly expressed lack of awareness about the protest, according to reports.