The Hindu : No judicial probe into Muthanga action: CM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

No judicial probe into Muthanga action: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM FEB. 26. The Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, has said that the Government has no plan for a judicial inquiry into the Muthanga incidents as it is an unusual police action to save men held captive by the tribals.

Talking to presspersons after a Cabinet meeting here today, he said one of them, belonging to a backward Scheduled Caste community, had died. A policeman and a forest official are fighting for their life in hospital. The public opinion is in favour of the police action.

He said the Government would keep its promise to provide not less than one acre of land to landless tribal families. He said up to five acre of land would be provided, wherever it is available. The Government would not act vindictively against tribals, and would solve the problem of landless tribals before the end of its term.

Mr. Antony said that the it was the LDF Government which had broken the promises given to the Tribals. It had promised two acres of land to all the tribals when it brought legislation to annul the law that provided for restoration of their alienated lands.

The Chief Minister said that the Government would be holding discussions with the employees as promised during their agitation last year. The date would be decided later.

Noting that the crisis continued in tea plantations, Mr. Antony said that the Cabinet had decided on providing continued assistance to workers. Several steps needed to be taken by the Centre and the nationalised banks to ameliorate the situation.

The State Government would continue Food for Work Programme for the workers until the closed plantations reopen. Besides, two weeks free rations would also be given to the workers of the closed plantations. The Health Department would operate a mobile dispensary. The Power and Labour Ministers would hold discussions with the representatives of the planters about restoration of power supply for water supply facilities in the plantations. Free noon meal scheme would be extended to high school sections.

He said that the Minister for Water Resources would draw up plans for renovating the Thannermukkom bund and building three other bunds to solve the problem of saline water intrusion in areas falling in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. The problem of drought and drinking water shortage would be taken up with the Centre for assistance. Arrangements would be made to provide drinking water to the affected people. Assistance would be provided to those who had lost their crops.

He said the Cabinet had discussed report of the Mohan Kumar Commission into Kalluvathukkal liquor tragedy inconclusively. Detailed discussions would be held on March 12 and the report tabled in the Assembly with an action taken report.

He said that the railway Budget was disappointing for Kerala. The Budget, at a glance, had few things to offer to Kerala compared to the previous year's Budget. Initiatives would be taken to end this neglect of Kerala's needs.

Noting that the CPI(M) was planning a series of agitations against the Government in the coming three months, he observed 373 that those supporting development needed to get the upper hand in the party. A struggle was going on in CPI(M) for a qualitative change in its attitudes.

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