MALAYALIS REOPEN SHOPS IN ERODE

MALAYALIS REOPEN SHOPS IN ERODE

Almost all the shops run by Malayalis in the district, including jewelleries and bakeries that were closed for the past two days due to alleged attacks on them by Tamil chauvinists, were reopened Saturday,17^th December,2011..The shop keepers said they had opened the shops from noon today after being provided police protection. Police pickets have been posted near the shops run by the Malayalis in the district. On Dec 15, shops and business establishments run by Malayalis downed shutters in the district following an attack on two bakeries run by people from Kerala by a group of 19 persons over the Mullaperiyar dam issue.

Meanwhile, the MDMK commenced a rally today at Avalpoondurai in the district, protesting against the attitude of the Kerala government on the Mullaperiyar reservoir issue and also against passing a resolution in the Kerala State Legislative Assembly for building a new dam in place of the existing one. The rally will cover various villages and reach Erode town tomorrow evening. While Kerala is pressing for the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar citing safety concerns over the 116-year-old reservoir, Tamil Nadu has maintained that the dam is "as good as new" and accused its neighbouring state of whipping up a "fear psychosis" over the issue.

                                                                    Prof. John Kurakar