LDF allies’ ties turn frosty yet again after MP’s title deed nixed

: The roller coaster relationship between LDF allies, the CPM and the CPI, in the district has been pushed to the brink following the CPM’s tirade against the Revenue and Forest Departments held by CP

IDUKKI: The roller coaster relationship between LDF allies, the CPM and the CPI, in the district has been pushed to the brink following the CPM’s tirade against the Revenue and Forest Departments held by CPI Ministers. It is in the wake of the Revenue Department cancelling the title deed (‘pattayam’) of the land occupied by LDF-backed MP Joice George in Kottakkamboor village. the CPM scaled up its attack on the Communists.  

Citing a host of issues, the CPM, in association with various organisations has called  a hartal in 10 gram panchayats in Devikulam and Adimali blocks on Tuesday to register its protest against Revenue and Forest Departments. The 12-hour hartal will be observed in Marayoor, Kanthalloor, Vattavada, Munnar, Devikulam, Chinnakkanal and Santhanpara panchayats in Devikulam block and Pallivasal, Vellathooval and Bison Valley panchayats in Adimali block.

This goes to show  Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan’s clean chit to Joice on the land encroachment issue did little to mollify the CPM brass here.  Moreover, CPM leaders alleged the Revenue Department had failed to implement any of the decisions taken at the three meetings convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss the issues in Munnar and nearby areas. “Making things worse, the Devikulam Sub-Collector has issued an order directing officers not to provide power connection to new houses or any other building in the eight villages under the Munnar Tribunal’s jurisdiction. The Revenue Department has also started serving eviction notices on  various buildings in Munnar town and Ikka Nagar, which had been around for several decades,” said K V Sasi, CPM district secretariat member.

Sasi said the people in these gram panchayats encountered several issues from government departments. “While the EFL Act is creating difficulties to farmers in Kanthalloor panchayat, Caradamom Hill Reserve rules are a major issue for those living in the Bison Valley and Santhanpara panchayats. At the same time, the government failed to provide title deed to the deserving sections in the district,” he said. Interestingly,  the CPI  leadership has come out against CPM hartal and started distributing pamphlets against the hartal. “There is no urgent situation prevailing in Munnar which necessitates a hartal. It is meant  to create panic among the public and facilitate the designs of the encroachment mafia,” said K K Siavaram, CPI district secretary.

He said the government has already initiated steps to address the general issues faced by the people of the region. “The campaign which the Revenue Department started by serving eviction notices on buildings in Munnar town is wrong and meant to scare  away the people. No one will be evicted from Munnar town. Moreover, electricity connection is denied only to illegal constructions and other houses. Even if there is such an issue, it can be addressed through officers,” Sivaraman said.

‘Cover up  after expose’
The CPI state leadership is of the view the CPM hartal is an attempt to 
cover up encroachments at Kottakk-amboor and other areas. Apart from the CPI, Congress, the BJP and a section of traders have also come out against the CPM’s hartal call which has put the Marxists in the dock.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com