Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 05 May 2025
A meeting of the CPI(M) State Secretariat was held on 3rd May, 2025, at Shaheed Bhavan, Anarkali. The meeting was presided over by B. Chandrachoodan, while D. Ayyappan, Secretary, presented a report on the functioning of the Party and the prevailing situation in the islands.
During the meeting, the State Secretariat expressed concern over the severe difficulties being faced by islanders in securing ship and flight tickets. It noted that the only mainland-bound ship is currently in dry dock for its annual survey, and several inter-island vessels—including MV Campbell Bay, Nalanda, and Sindhu—have been diverted to mainland ports to manage the seasonal rush of passengers during the summer vacation. Many islanders, particularly those from economically weaker sections are unable to afford costly air travel during this time of the year.
The meeting further highlighted that the central government had unilaterally halted the construction of two 1200-passenger capacity ships at Cochin Shipyard, despite the A&N Administration having already paid hundreds of crores of rupees for the same.
After detailed discussions, the CPI(M) State Secretariat decided to organize a mass demonstration at 4 p.m. on 6th May, 2025 (Tuesday), at the DSS gate in Mohanpura, Sri Vijaya Puram. The protest will demand the immediate arrangement of sufficient ship tickets for intending passengers or the provision of chartered flights between the islands and the mainland.