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Grooms On Horses And Politicians On Scooters: How Kerala Protested Petrol Price Hike

The bandh to protest against rocket-high fuel prices highlighted some funny scenes in Kerala.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) members burned an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a protest demonstration against price hike of petrol and diesel at Esplanade on September 10, 2018 in Kolkata, India. There were a series of interesting protests in Kerala.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Trinamool Congress (TMC) members burned an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a protest demonstration against price hike of petrol and diesel at Esplanade on September 10, 2018 in Kolkata, India. There were a series of interesting protests in Kerala.

On Monday, opposition parties led by the Congress held a nationwide strike to protest against spiralling petrol and diesel prices.

A look at Tuesday's Malayalam newspapers showed people protesting in their own, unique ways.

Exhibit A: Kerala's opposition leader rode pillion on a scooter to reach his son's engagement

From 'Mathrubhumi' newspaper.
HuffPost India
From 'Mathrubhumi' newspaper.

Congress's Ramesh Chennithala, the leader of the opposition in Kerala's assembly, led a protest in the morning in Kochi on a bullock cart. Then, he rode pillion on a party worker's scooter to reach his son's engagement at a hotel in the city, even as other party MLAs and guests arrived in SUVs. Chennithala told Malayalam media that the engagement date couldn't be deferred as it had been decided almost two months ago.

Exhibit B: The groom who rode a horse in protest from his own wedding

Photo from 'Malayala Manorama'.
HuffPost India
Photo from 'Malayala Manorama'.

Exhibit C: The protestors who offered sweets to people who took their vehicles out

From 'Mathrubhumi' newspaper.
HuffPost India
From 'Mathrubhumi' newspaper.

In intensely political Kerala, it is not uncommon for bandhs and hartals to lead to violence and damage of public property. And so it was refreshing to see this photo from Mathrubhumi of political workers in Malappuram offering sweets to people who had taken their vehicles out on Monday. The protestors also requested the drivers to cooperate with the strike. Most people promised the political workers that they would head straight back home after finishing their errands in support of the bandh.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.