The Hindu : Encroachment issue: KC(M) restive

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 23, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Encroachment issue: KC(M) restive

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAY 22. The first signs of disaffection in the UDF came out in the open, with the KC(M) expressing its unhappiness at the double standards adopted in the matter of ordering an inquiry into the encroachments that took place in Mathikettan and Pooyamkutty.

The State Steering Committee of the party, the third largest in the ruling coalition, however, was cautious in its reactions to the issue. The party, however, gave a clear signal that it would politically face the attempts to isolate it and its leader, the Revenue Minister, K M Mani, on the encroachment issue.

As part of this move, it decided to extend the dates of the public contact programme currently under way and hold rallies in other districts as well.

The double standards adopted by the Government on the encroachments in Mathikettan and Pooyamkutty figured in the meeting. Some of the party leaders strongly objected to the silence of the Chief Minister on the Pooyamkutty encroachment, which has now been established.

Speakers felt that there were concerted efforts from some quarters to isolate Mr.Mani and the KC(M).

It would be recalled that the Chief Minister had said that the Pooyamkutty encroachment had not come to his notice, while the Forest Minister, K. Sudhakaran, has been maintaining that no encroachment had taken place in the area.

However, the Revenue Minister, K. M. Mani, did not want to press the issue as the Pooyamkutty encroachment was connected to another department. As a coalition partner, it was not the KC(M)'s policy to express an opinion on issues relating to another coalition partner, he said at the meeting. Later, the party leaders also made it clear that there was no attempt to indict the Chief Minister on the issue.

The statement released by the KC(M) general secretary, Joy Abraham, after the meeting also reflected the cautious line. In a resolution, the steering committee, while congratulating Mr. Mani for his creative and transparent steps on the Mathikettan encroachment, said his actions had gone a long way in refurbishing the image of the UDF and the Government.

The resolution wanted the State Government to take strong action against all encroachments on Government land as a social crime and suppress them at any cost. It also patted the Government for its special packages for the weaker sections and farmers.

Despite the sugarcoated statement, the KC(M) leaders could hardly conceal the fact that their relations in the UDF were strained. The only difference is that they were keen in not dragging the Chief Minister into the vortex of a controversy.

It goes to Mr. Mani's credit that he had advised his partymen to observe restraint. Neither he nor his party had succeeded in concealing the disaffection.

Mr. Mani' positions should be seen in the context of the noises of discontent the Catholic church has been making in recent days in relation to a horde of issues such as the Government's liquor policy, the question of permitting private management schools and colleges to appoint teachers, and the apprehensions over minority rights.

As far as the UDF is concerned, this is for the first time that cracks are becoming visible in the ruling coalition. Mr. Mani is considered to be one of the troika with whom the Chief Minister used to nurture good relations.

The political rallies that the KC(M) in the coming days would most probably set the mood for any possible confrontation.

And if necessary, the party could bring up the issue during the coming Assembly session or in the joint parliamentary party meeting, if not at the UDF high-power committee meeting.

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