Thiruvananthapuram: CPI has slammed A.K. Balan over his remarks that the party’s ministers, who hold the revenue and forest portfolios, should be more considerate to the tribal people’s demands.
The CPI reminded Mr Balan about his stand on Athirapally project, which was detrimental to tribal interests. Mr Balan had criticized Forest Minister K. Raju and Revenue Minister E. Chandrashekharan in Palakkad the other day for taking an anti-tribal stand on the land issue.
He was referring to the CPI ministers’ opposition to district land committee decision to allot 14.67 acres at Kadaparain Mangalam dam forest range in Palakkad to tribes people. He asked the two ministers to follow the examples of Mr Binoy Viswam and Mr K P Rajendran, who presided over forest and revenue respectively during the 2006 LDF Government. The two ministers had adopted a sympathetic attitude towards the tribal cause.
The CPI is cut up with Mr Balan for raising such issues in public platform. Mr Raju had expressed his displeasure on Friday saying that there were proper fora for raising such issues.
Meanwhile, the issue is likely to figure at the CPI state leadership meetings on January 2-4. The sate executive will begin at 10.30 am on Monday at M N Smarakam followed by the state council meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.
