CM Pinarayi Vijayan has taken initiative to stop nokkukooli: State to Kerala High Court

The Kerala government on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that it has taken a strong stance against the practice of demanding nokkukooli (gawking charges) with Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan taking special interest and publicly declaring that no element of nokkukooli will be tolerated across the State (TK Sundareshan v. District Police Chief)..Government Pleader (GP) EC Bineesh, representing the State Government, informed the Court that pursuant to the Court's earlier orders in the matter, the government has conducted meetings to arrive at measures it can take to prevent illegal demands of nokkukooli. "The government has conducted a meeting and has decided that strong action will be taken when incidents of nokkukooli occur. Persons demanding nokkukooli will not get any support for any such unlawful activities. That is the strong stance taken by the government at all levels. Even the Chief Minister has publicly declared that no element of nokkukooli will be permitted. All ministers are also of the same view. The government is proceeding with the decision that such issues should not arise in the future," Bineesh said.Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has publicly decried the practice, the Court was told..Single-judge Justice Devan Ramachandran recorded the statement of the GP in its order and directed the State to submit a report as to the steps taken by it by next date of hearing on November 22. "There is finally some movement in the resolve against nokkukooli after this Court came down heavily on the statutory authorities through the last two orders. The Government Pleader informed this Court that stringent steps and measures have been taken to ensure that even the concept of nokkukooli is obliterated forever from our State and that the honourable Chief Minister has personally taken an initiative for this purpose," the Court noted in its order.The Court was hearing a plea by a hotel owner, TK Sundareshan seeking police protection to carry on his business without intervention from certain individuals who were demanding gawking charges..During the hearing today, the Court took strong objection to an incident reported in the media where a hapless citizen was attacked and had his arm broken allegedly over refusal to pay demands of nokkukooli.While the GP informed the Court that the perpetrators have been arrested, the Court reiterated that any attempt to demand nokkukooli in any indirect or veiled manner shall always be treated as being extortion for the interest of making Kerala an investor friendly state."Until perpetrators understand that any conduct of theirs to extort money under the euphemism of nokkukooli or such other will visit them with very serious consequences, the confidence in Kerala as an investor friendly destination cannot be firmly established. I hope that the government is firm in their resolve and the trade unions are reigned in appropriately," the order stated..Advocate K Siju, Standing Counsel for Headload Workers Welfare Fund Board, also submitted that its members have now been given awareness classes and that they have been told not to indulge in violence or demands of extortion since they would face prosecution for offences under the Indian Penal Code. Moreover, a campaign called "No Nokkukooli 2021" has also been undertaken, he said. .However, Justice Ramachandran remarked that a lack of awareness is not the issue, rather it is the feeling of imperviousness that those demanding nokkukooli will be protected by trade unions.."Do you think trade unions are unaware?; That they don't read newspapers? There is an executive order. They think they are impervious, that they not fear consequences because they will be supported and protected," Justice Ramachandran orally remarked.The Court, therefore, adjourned the matter to November 22 by which time all respondents are expected to file reports regarding the steps taken by them in the matter.