The Hindu : New Delhi News : Jairam Ramesh joins issue with VS

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Friday, Aug 17, 2007
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Jairam Ramesh joins issue with VS

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh on Thursday joined issue with Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan for giving out the impression that he was acting as the spokesman for estate owners.

Briefing reporters, the Minister said all he had done was write to the Chief Minister asking him to give the managers of Thuthampara Estate a fair hearing. “Instead of responding to my letter, the Chief Minister has opted to leak the letter. It is not healthy for federal polity if letters between a Central Minister and a Chief Minister are leaked to the media.”

Mr. Ramesh had written to the Chief Minister on July 24 asking that Thuthampara Estate – which is facing closure because of expiry of lease – be given a fair hearing. Stating that he had been informed that the State Government had withheld extension of lease to the estate despite a recommendation from the Forest Department, he drew the Chief Minister’s attention to the uncertainty among the workers on the plantation.

According to the Minister, he had only communicated to the Chief Minister concerns expressed by the estate managers as it affected the livelihoods of the workers. In his letter, Mr. Ramesh said: “My only request is that this estate be given an opportunity to present its case before a decision is taken by the State.”

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