Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reached Wayanad to express solidarity with protesters opposing the night traffic ban on a national highway passing through Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the state.
After reaching the protest venue on Friday morning, Rahul Gandhi, who is the Wayanad MP, met youth leaders who have been on a hunger strike. The relay fast by Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the Youth Congress, and Youth league against the ban entered the 10th day on Friday.
"I am in Wayanad, Kerala to stand in solidarity with the youth who have been on hunger strike, protesting against the travel ban on National Highway 766 that links Kerala & Karnataka. Earlier I visited those who have had to be hospitalized, as a result of the prolonged fast," Congress Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
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Throwing his weight behind the protest, Rahul Gandhi had earlier said the nine-hour traffic ban on the national highway passing through the Bandipur reserve was causing hardship to people in Kerala and Karnataka.
"I stand in solidarity with the youth on an indefinite hunger strike since September 25 protesting against the daily 9-hour traffic ban on NH-766," the former Congress president had said in a tweet.
He had also asked the central and state governments to safeguard the interests of local communities while protecting the environment. "I urge the central and state governments to safeguard the interests of local communities while upholding our collective responsibility to protect our environment," Rahul Gandhi had tweeted.
Rahul Gandhi had also met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier this month to discuss the night traffic ban on National Highway-766.
Following Rahul Gandhi's support, Wayanad intensified the protest with locals taking out a march demanding the lifting of the night traffic ban.
Around 1,000 farmers and local people had participated in the march from Sultan Bathery to the Kerala-Karnataka border at Moolahalli demanding round the clock connectivity through the forest stretch of NH-766.