Crying Protest Zindabad! Kerala witnesses a unique stir

A group of men sat in front of Kerala secretariat on Monday morning and started crying loud. Some of them were beating their chest and wailing. Some others hit on their forehead in desperation as others hid their faces in cupped hands, sobbing. 

What's the problem there, asked veteran Kerala Congress leader and former minister KM Mani, who was holding a Satyagraha nearby. Passersby looked at the men anxiously.

 "Crying protest Zindabad," read the placards in their hands.  The group of men was crying for attention, literally. They were desperately trying to bring the sorry state of roads in the high ranges of Badiyadukka, a remote town in the northern Kerala district of Kasargod. 

"Only the crying babies get the milk, they say. We are doing just that," one of the agitators said. 

The roads in their region have been lying dilapidated for long, making them unmotorable and dangerous too. Accidents have become routine. Many lives perished on roads, and patients failed to make it to hospitals in time, thanks to the damaged roads. 

Only the crying babies get the milk, they say. We are doing just that.

Local people submitted numerous complaints, led protests and ran from pillar to post to get the roads repaired. Last month, they held 18-days of Satyagraha in front of the PWD office in Kasargod. But the authorities did not show mercy on them. 

In desperation, they decided to take the train to the state capital and 'cry' for attention. But will the government and the PWD minister be moved by their laments?  

• crying protest
• people's agitation
• unique protest