The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Officials made scapegoats, says UDF

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Thursday, Sep 20, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Officials made scapegoats, says UDF

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The United Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday alleged that the Left Democratic Front government had made officials scapegoats in the Ponmudi land scandal with a view to protecting Forest Minister Benoy Viswom.

Pledging to continue the front’s agitation till the Forest Minister resigned and the government either ordered a judicial enquiry or handed the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the UDF announced that it would continue with its current mode of agitation – conducting dharnas at the district and taluk levels. Addressing a press conference here, UDF convener P.P. Thankachan said UDF workers would hold dharna in all district headquarters except Kottayam on September 23. This will be followed by dharna in front of taluk offices on October 4.

Specific agenda

The agitation will be held on the specific agenda of seeking the Forest Minister’s resignation. In between, each of the coalition members will hold agitations separately. The Congress has already announced dharna at the district level on September 24.

Kottayam has been exempted from the dharna because the Kerala Congress (M) had already announced a Collectorate march on that day. However, the party will participate in the dharna in other districts and at the taluk level. The UDF will meet again on October 8 and all its district conveners and chairmen have been invited to attend the meet.

Mr. Thankachan said the government had found scapegoats in Forest Department officials even though the Forest Minister had asserted repeatedly in the Assembly and outside that officials were not at fault.

The Chief Minister has admitted in the Assembly that corruption to the tune of Rs.700 crore had taken place in various land deals in recent times. In this context, the suspension of officials is a meaningless exercise. “The UDF feels that the scope of the inquiry should cover the actions taken by the government, Mr. Viswom, his party and the government’s role in the Ponmudi scandal.

CPI pressure

The Chief Minister has succumbed to the CPI’s pressures with the sole motive of protecting his job,” Mr. Thankachan said. The LDF has two separate laws for its constituents – one for the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and another for other constituents.

While Kerala Congress (J) leader P.J. Joseph and T.U. Kuruvilla had to resign following allegations against them, Mr. Viswom and Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy are given protection.

Asked if the coalition would consider a hartal in support of its demand, Mr. Thankachan said it was not averse to such a method if it would lead to a solution.

Pariyaram poll

With regard to the election to the Kerala State Cooperative Hospital Complex (Pariyaram Medical College), Mr. Thankachan said leaders of the constituents and six MLAs had been deputed to monitor the polls. The MLAs are K.C. Venugopal, K.C. Joseph, V.D. Satheesan, K. Sudhakaran, C.T. Ahmed Ali and Thomas Unniyadan. The UDF also demanded payment of Rs.5 lakh as compensation to each family of the victims of the Panniar accident over and above the amounts eligible under the Workmen Compensation Act.

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