Politicians, traders, pedestrians have come together, like never before, to raise an impassioned protest against the Government notification facilitating the takeover of prime land at the square.

Top functionaries of a church, a mosque and a temple that co-exist at the square have opposed it. Local traders have opposed it. Pedestrians have opposed it. Political parties have opposed it. Freedom fighters have opposed it because it will sideline the Martyrs' Column.

The local unit of the Muslim League has even threatened to withdraw its support to the CPI (M) in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation where the ruling front is surviving on a wafer-thin majority. It has even brought the BJP and Muslim League on the same platform. But if the CPI (M) leadership decides to shiftthe site of the park, the party will suffer a loss of face. If it does not, it will run into the loss of public goodwill, which could spell political calamity.

The irony, though, lies in the fact that a memorial to Namboodiripad, who is held in high esteem by the people of the State, has become a subject of controversy. There are many who question the propriety of a memorial for a political leader being erected at considerable cost to the public exchequer, especially since the CPI (M) has plans to establish an EMS Memorial Akademi for which the party raised Rs 4.5 crore from the public in a record three days.

CPI (M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan however said, ``The party does not want to kick up a controversy over the EMS park. The park will come up at the proposed site, without leaving any room for complaints. All sections of the people will be taken into confidence before embarking on the project'', he assured.

But the Action Council has decided to organise a `people's march' to the Assembly onFebruary 24.