KANNUR: The Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha (AGM) has accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government of moves to scuttle the rehabilitation process of Adivasis in the Aralam Farm.

AGM leader C.K. Janu and M. Geethanandan, general secretary of the Rashtriya Mahasabha, political front of the AGM, told a press conference here on Wednesday that the AGM in association with other Adivasi organisations would resort to agitation from October 16 against the `anti-development policies' of the Government.

It had been five years since an agreement was signed on October 16, 2001 following an agitation by the Adivasis, they said. Adivasis would take out a protest march to the Aralam Farm office on October 25 to mark the beginning of the first phase of the stir, they added.

Alleging that the LDF was opposing the decision to assign the farmland to landless Adivasis, they said there was concern among them that the process of Adivasi rehabilitation would be scuttled.

The district administration's decision to invite fresh applications from eligible Adivasis for land assignment in the farm was suspected to be a move to tamper with the existing list of candidates and disrupt the selection process using `muscle power' of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), they said.

Ms. Janu and Mr. Geethanandan said while the Adivasis who had been issued title deeds were living in the farm without any Government assistance, those who entered the farmland continued to stay there under the protection of a High Court order enforcing status quo.

They said the CPI(M) had taken over the office of the Aralam Farm Adivasi Swashraya Sangham and converted it into a party office. This was done with the knowledge and consent of the Government, they said.

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