Thiruvananthapuram: Members of Thovarimala land agitation action council on Saturday held a day-long protest in front of secretariat demanding land to the landless families in Wayanad.
The action council and members of CPI(ML) Red Star organised the agitation. BSP, IDF ,SUCI, RMP, Western Ghats Protection Board , Pothanpara Forest Protection Committee and Democratic Protection committee expressed solidarity with the agitation. Over 50 persons took part in the protest.
The agitators said 30 per cent of the people living in panchayats in Thovarimala are Dalit agricultural workers, adivasis and estate workers who do not own land. Though the government had promised to distribute land which was reserved for tribal population, no action has been taken yet.
The action council members alleged that big companies which had blatantly encroached upon government land are facing no action from authorities. No matter who rules the state, the plight of poor landless families continues to remain pathetic.
They urged the government to release their leaders Rajesh Appat and K. Manoharan who were arrested in April following an agitation in Sulthan Bathery.
“We have decided to hold a state-wide protest demanding the release of our leaders and land to the landless," said M. K. Das, state secretary, CPI(ML) Red Star.
The party plans to hold protest in front of collectorates in Thrissur and Kottayam on May 22.
