Why Manaveeyam Veedhi is at the centre of a political battle between BJP, CPI(M) in Keralam capital

The cultural corridor of Thiruvananthapuram, Manaveeyam Veedhi, is currently embroiled in a political conflict between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The BJP, which recently secured power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, aims to introduce changes to the street, which has been a venue for cultural events and protests for the past three decades.

The dispute intensified on October 16 when the Museum Police tried to remove a microphone from the street ahead of a protest calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CPI(M) leader and former Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, V.Sivankutty, claims that the police's refusal to grant permission for the event, featuring actor-activist Prakash Raj, was directed by Corporation authorities.

The BJP-led Corporation has now made it clear that they intend to transform the street into a "protest-free" zone, limiting it to cultural activities alone. This directive has sparked protests from cultural activists who have been involved in the street's activities for a long time. K.G. Suraj, secretary of the Manaveeyam Theruvidam Cultural Collective and Street Library, describes the Corporation's decision as an overreach of authority, stating that the space should not be restricted to prevent dissenting voices.

He emphasizes that Manaveeyam Veedhi, constructed and renovated by the State government in collaboration with various departments, should not be under the Corporation's regulatory control. The artists and enthusiasts of the area maintain that art and culture should function as tools for societal progress and change, with a history of using the space for protests.

Suraj argues that Manaveeyam Veedhi is a public road under the Public Works department (PWD), and its management rights have never been transferred to the Municipal Corporation. He points out that everyone has the right to hold art and cultural programs in the area, provided they do not undermine the space's original purpose. Cultural events should be organized without obtaining a license, and no single entity is authorized to oversee such activities.

The BJP's recent event at Manaveeyam Veedhi, orchestrated by their control over the city administration, is seen as a violation of this consensus, according to Suraj. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter.