BJP to send team to assess Munnar encroachments

BJP State president V.Muraleedharan in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo:C.Ratheesh Kumar

A team of State level leaders of the BJP will visit Munnar on Saturday for an on the spot assessment of encroachments in and around the town.

BJP State president V. Muraleedharan told the media here on Thursday that even government land resumed by the government had been encroached upon. Though Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan maintains that the encroachers would be evicted, he was yet to show his determination. The differing stand of the CPI (M) and the government on carrying out the court orders was inexplicable. The State leadership of the CPI (M) should clarify its stand in the matter, he said.

The State president said that the BJP would hold a rally in Thiruvananthapuram on February 13 as part its nation-wide protests against price rise. Party president Nitin Gadkari would attend the rally.

Mr. Muraleedharan said wrong policies of the Centre and inaction on the part of the State government was responsible for the price rise in Kerala. Instead of addressing the problem, the State and Central ministers indulged in blaming each other. The BJP had plans for a series of agitations over the issue, culminating with a Parliament march in March. District level agitations would be organised in February.

He said the government decision to go on appeal against the High Court order in the Muthoot murder case indicated that the CPI (M) had someone to protect. The promotion of the Inspector General of Police Vinson M. Paul, who had been criticised by the Court, as Additional Director General of Police on Wednesday was a challenge to the Court.

He said while the Left Front government had a soft approach towards investigating terrorism-related cases, the UDF was silent on the failures of the government in that regard. It indicated that the UDF was also not keen on the investigations.

The national investigation agency had now decided to investigate the flow of money into the State. Pointing out that Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had stated in the Assembly two years ago that Rs. 50 crore had reached the State through the hawala route, Mr. Muraleedharan wanted to know who had stood in the way of investigations.

Mr. Muraleederan, who was addressing the media after the first meeting of office bearers nominated by him following his election as State president, said that the team he had announced would be expanded after the national council meeting later this month, after some leaders were included in the national executive.