The Hindu : Govinda Pillai hits out at opponents of KSSP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Govinda Pillai hits out at opponents of KSSP

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, FEB. 25. The CPI(M) leader, P. Govinda Pillai, has said that forces attached to liquor barons, the forest mafia and multinational dons are behind the attack on the non-profitable activities of Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP).

Inaugurating a seminar on `society, culture and invasion' organised in connection with the release of the complete works of C. Achutha Menon at the Town Hall here today, Mr. Govinda Pillai pointed out that Parishad's efforts had made the people of Plachimada (in Palakkad) aware of the consequences of groundwater exploitation in their locality and the residents of Padre (in Kasaragod) the harmful effects of Endosulfan spraying. Mr. Govinda Pillai said that exploitation of groundwater at Plachimada had led to a serious situation, resulting in the destruction of crops in the area.

He said that political parties and the ruling class had failed to inform the people the gravity of the dangers unleashed by multinationals and take up the issue. The affected people themselves had to campaign for their cause, said Mr. Govinda Pillai, who was removed from the CPI(M) State committee recently for expressing his views on the party in public.

He said that despite the commendable achievements of the KSSP, those devoted to the organisation had not reached anywhere near the echelons of power. None of them had become even a member of a grama panchayat. Their activities were still confined to distributing pamphlets and educating the people on a wide range of issues confronting society from environment to science.

He said the monoculture established by the British for their interests had destroyed traditional agriculture systems in India. Even today, the Governments could not get out of the systems introduced by the British, he said.

The KSSP president, K. Papputty, and others spoke.

C. Radhakrishnan, novelist, released the complete works of C. Achutha Menon by handing the copies to R.K. Ramesh.

The CPI leader and former Chief Minister, P.K. Vasudevan Nair, delivered the keynote address.

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