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LDF to stick to its plea for judicial probe:VS

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA FEB. 25. The Opposition leader, V. S. Achuthanandan, has said that the LDF will not withdraw its demand for a judicial inquiry into the police firing on Adivasis at the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad district.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme of the Alappuzha Press Club here today, Mr. Achuthanandan pointed out that an LDF MLA had already started an indefinite fast before the Secretariat to force the Government order a judicial probe. He said the State Government had enough land with it to distribute five acres each to the tribals and this was the declared stand of the LDF.

The CPI(M) leader said there was no need to approach the Centre for permission to allot reserve forest lands for distribution among Adivasis.

He said reports of two assurance committees of the State legislature had pointed out that 50,000 acres of revenue land of the Government was at present with the Tata group and 10,000 acres with the Poabson group. He noted that reports about the police action at Muthanga showed that the civil administration was sidelined there and the police acted on their own.

Mr. Achuthanandan questioned the Government's version that only one Adivasi had died in police firing.

Putting the blame on the Chief Minister, Mr. Achuthanandan said the struggle of the Adivasis was for a just cause. Speaking in Kochi at the farmers' camp in connection with the ongoing Statewide satyagraha programme organised by the Karshaka Sanghom. Mr. Achuthanandan said he was told by the Adivasis that several among them were missing after the police action. Mr. Achuthanandan said he had visited the jails where the Adivasis were lodged. He said he had asked the jail authorities to take proper care of the Adivasi inmates.

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