Kerala - Kollam   

Ponmudi land deal: UDF stages dharna

Remonstration: The former KPCC president C.V. Padmarajan inaugurating a collectorate dharna organised by the UDF in Kollam on Saturday.

KOLLAM: The district unit of the United Democratic Front (UDF) organised a march to the collectorate here on Saturday and held a dharna there demanding the resignation of Forest Minister Benoy Viswom.

Hundreds of activists from all constituents of the UDF took part in the march and dharna.

Inaugurating the dharna, the former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president C.V. Padmarajan said that even though the demonstration was for the resignation of the Forest Minister, it was high time Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan also resigned. He alleged that Mr. Achuthanandan had become an embodiment of betrayal.

As Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Achuthanandan had given several promises to the people. But on becoming the Chief Minister, he betrayed the people by not keeping any of the promises. Mr. Achuthanandan is in a helpless position now, unable to do anything, he said.

Mr. Padmarajan alleged that the CPI had become a party of opportunists. While that party announced a fund collection of Rs.3 crore, the party leaders, later, said that the fund collection yielded Rs.10 crore. This raises several questions. At least three Ministers in the LDF Government were involved in the Ponmudi land deal. In order to expose the truth behind the deal, either a judicial probe or an inquiry by a Central agency was required.

The dharna was led by UDF leaders K.C. Rajan, Kadvoor Sivadasan, Babu Divakaran, Yunus Kunju and M.H. Shariyar.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

‘Nuke deal, a U.S. conspiracy’
People block bridge, want a new one
Ponmudi land deal: UDF stages dharna

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu