The tranquil community of Elappully is currently embroiled in a significant controversy, with the Anti-Brewery Agitation Council publicly condemning the Elappully grama panchayat’s governing body. The council alleges that the local administration is engaging in ‘vote bank politics’ concerning the hotly debated brewery project proposed for the area.
During a press briefing held in Palakkad on Saturday, P.A. Pouran, chairperson of the agitation council, and Pudussery Sreenivasan, its general convener, articulated their concerns. They stated that the elected members of the governing council are actively attempting to destabilize the ongoing public movement against the proposed brewery.
Sreenivasan further elaborated on the accusations, claiming, “The panchayat board members are making efforts to weaken our legitimate agitation against the brewery by deliberately ignoring calls for intervention from prominent Congress district and state leaders. Moreover, they are trying to misrepresent our ‘anti-brewery’ stance as a simple ‘anti-liquor protest’ in an attempt to manipulate public opinion and discredit our efforts.”
In response to these perceived undermining tactics, the agitation council has declared its refusal to cooperate with or participate in a protest organized by the panchayat board at Elappully, which is scheduled for Monday. This decision highlights a growing divide within local efforts to address the brewery controversy.