LDF panel suggests modifications

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 12.The LDF State committee has suggested that members of 13 backward communities who get the benefits of reservation as per the recommendations of the Joseph Commission should continue to get it irrespective of whether they are continuing in their traditional occupations or not. It also proposed that the Kudumbi community should be added to this list.

The Narendran Commission, which recommended the norms for identifying the creamy layer among backward classes, had suggested that members of the specified communities such as barbers, fishermen, artisans, vaniyars, weavers and dhobis should be excluded from the purview of the creamy layer norms for determining their eligibility for reservation only if they are continuing in their traditional occupations. The report is now under the consideration of the Government.

The LDF also recommended that people owning not more than five hectares of coconut, cardamom, coffee, tea or rubber plantations should be treated as not belonging to the creamy layer. It rejected the proposals of the Narendran Commission in this regard and modified the existing norms specified by the Joseph Commission. The Joseph Commission had recommended area limits of four and five hectares for different crops. The LDF sought to unify this, as the difference was minor, the LDF convenor, Mr. V. S. Achuthanandan, told presspersons here on Friday.

The LDF has recommended that clear orders should be issued on the norms so that there would not be any ambiguity when it comes to the issuing of certificates by revenue officials, he added.

Mr. Achuthanandan clarified that he had not stated that the last meeting of the LDF had decided against completing the delinking of pre-degree courses this year. All he had said was that the LDF wanted schools associated with colleges discontinuing pre-degree courses this year to be given preference in the allocation of the Plus Two courses.

He said that it would be impossible to sanction Plus Two courses for all high schools this year owing to the financial constraints of the Government. Hence, the LDF had decided that sanctioning of the courses could be completed only over a period of few years. The list of schools getting the courses this year would be finalised by the sub- committee on May 17.

He said the report of the Syamasunderan Nair Committee, which recommended measures to stem the reclamation of paddy fields, would be discussed by the LDF State Committee on June 1.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that yesterday's statement by the Congress (I) leader, Mr. K. Karunakaran, showed that he had no hesitation in coming to power with the support of the BJP. Mr. Karunakaran was convinced that the UDF could not defeat the LDF on its own strength. So, in the place of secret understandings reached with the BJP in the past elections, Mr. Karunakaran was now showing willingness for open adjustments. Though Mr. Karunakaran was firing at the Opposition, the bullet was hitting the Opposition Leader, Mr. A. K. Antony.

He said the people of Kerala knew that both Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Antony had only shown interest in self-aggradisement and not the development of the State. So, the people would reject them.

Mr. Karunakaran had hinted that the minor constituents of the UDF wanted a change in leadership. It was these very parties which had wanted Mr. Karunakaran replaced as the Chief Minister. Mr. Karunakaran had delayed a decision on the creamy layer issue when in power. So, they should clarify whether they had changed their stand on the issue. The supporters of the Muslim League were not going to tolerate the UDF's liaison with the BJP. Hence, the thoughts mooted by Mr. Karunakaran was only going to erode the support of the UDF.

He said that he was only reiterating the CPI(M) policy when he said that the Muslim League was not acceptable as a partner of the LDF. The LDF had clear views in the matter, he added.

He said that though the Malayalam Channel was being launched with the support of the CPI(M), it was an independent channel formed with the objective of upholding leftist and secular values. While the cooperation of all people with leftist and secular views had been sought for funding the channel, people who had amassed money by running blade companies and black-marketing had been kept out. Such people would not have any influence on the Channel. He denied that anyone involved in spirit smuggling case was among the promoters.

He said that those not finding fault with channels promoted by the Muslim League leader, Dr. M. K. Muneer, Christians, Telugu Desom and the DMK were campaigning against the Malayalam Channel. This was because the channel would hit them hard.

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Section  : Regional
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