Kerala wall: 50 lakh women form 620-km Vanitha Mathil, take pledge to uphold gender equality

The event is being organised by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government. It is believed to the largest women's gathering in the world. Lakhs of women lined up to take part in a 620-km 'wall' in Kerala The wall stretched from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram Organised by the state's Left Democratic Front government

Health minister K K Shylaja will lead the chain at Kasargod and CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat will be the last person at the end of the chain in Thiruvananthapuram moment for feminist politics in Kerala, lakhs of women filled the roads from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram and took a pledge to protect the renaissance value and uphold gender equality. Although the wall was organised by the state's Left Democratic Front (LDF) against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala, the women's pledge reportedly had no reference to the shrine. The women will form the wall from Kasargod in northern Kerala to the southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram. Health minister K K Shylaja will lead the chain at Kasargod and CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat will be the last person at the end of the chain in Thiruvananthapuram.

The participants will gather at the designated centers today at 3 PM, where a rehearsal will be held. The Wall will be formed between 4 and 4.15 PM, with participants taking a pledge to uphold gender equality and renaissance values. The proposed wall was suggested at a meeting called by the Kerala government in the backdrop of frenzied protests by right-wing parties and a section of devotees over the state's decision to implement the September 28 top court order, allowing women of all ages to Sabarimala. "Finding a solution to the issues faced by women is seen as part of the class struggle," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, adding that ensuring gender equality was part of class struggle. In Marxist ideology, class struggle is the conflict of interests between workers and the ruling class in a capitalist society.

"The protests by communal forces against women's entry in Sabarimala prompted the government and other progressive organisations to build Women's Wall in the state," Mr Vijayan had said, adding that all women, cutting across castes and religions, would join the wall "to save Kerala from the being dragged back into the era of darkness." The Universal Records Forum, the team which records amazing feats across the globe, is also in the state. The pledge for the wall, released by the Chief Ministers office on Sunday, calls for upholding gender equality and renaissance values. It also bats for secularism and to oppose the move to turn the state into a 'lunatic asylum.' While senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has described the initiative as a 'wall of contradiction', UDF lawmaker M K Muneer had has termed it as a 'communal' wall for inviting participation only from 'progressive Hindu organisations'. The event is organised by the ruling CPI(M), along with over 176 other socio-political organisations, including the CPI, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS).

The Nair Service Society (NSS), a prominent caste-based organization, RSS and the right-wing groups have opposed this move. Here are 10 developments from the venue 1. Organisers claimed more than 50 lakh women, including actors and political leaders from across the state, came to support the 620-km Vanitha Mathil or the women's wall. 2.Women joined hands along the national highway (NH) to connect the south and north ends of the state for five minutes. "Today's women wall formation was an aim to strengthen gender equality. Women should no longer be pushed into dark sides," CPM leader Brinda Karat said.

3. On Tuesday afternoon, Women from across 14 districts in Kerala reportedly started assembling by the side of the national highways by 3pm. 4. The event finally began at 4 pm and saw women of all ages thronging the venue. 5. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja became the first block of the chain in Kasargod while CPI(M) PB member Brinda Karat formed the final block in Thiruvananthapuram. 6. The LDF government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said it won't allow Kerala to be taken back to the dark ages, and that women have equal rights. 7. With close to 50 lakh women attending the event, it is believed to the largest women's gathering in the world. 8. Swami Agnivesh was also seen greeting women forming the wall in Trivandrum. "Women's wall is a great opportunity. I have come here to participate in the event because I am a male feminist.The BJP's double standards have been exposed," he said. 9. Activist Tanuja called it the second renaissance. "The women wall wants to say aloud that we are equal. This is second rennaisance, a period where the new generation has come forward to discuss issues. The women's wall is a place for women to discuss their issues and create a new world where they are equals," she said. 10. CPM leader Rajeev termed the women's wall as an answer to all allegation raised by the opposition. "Women have participated for a common cause to protect the secular fabric of Kerala," he said. The Kerala government has been facing heat from both the BJP and the Congress over its efforts to implement the Supreme Court verdict. The top court earlier struck down a ban that prevented women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, considered to be eternally celibate.