Idukki: The CPM is hoping all decks will be cleared for the completion of its multi-storey party office in Santhanpara, Idukki once the Land Assignment (LA) Bill (Amendment) 2023 is passed in the state Assembly. The LA Bill is expected to be passed by the second week of September.
Earlier this week, the High Court of Kerala ordered to halt the constructions at Santhanpara, Bisonvalley and Udumbanchola while hearing cases on encroachments in Idukki. There were allegation of violation of land assignment rules in the construction.
CPM's Idukki district secretary, CV Varghese, who is facing the contempt case initiated by the High Court, said neither he nor the party was concerned. He said the party will challenge the court order legally.
“We got the letter to stop construction from the Collector on Wednesday at 10 am and we called off the construction work after that... we will get an opportunity to give our explanation before the court and will prove our innocence,” Varghese told mediapersons in Idukki on Thursday.
“The LA title deed for the party office was given to us in 1996. Our party office had to be demolished for the Thekkadi-Munnar road development project and we are constructing a new office on the same land. The issues regarding LA has been a matter of debate in Idukki for several decades and with the new LA Amendment Bill the issues will be solved,” he said.
In response, Idukki District Congress Committee's general secretary, Bijomani said the CPM was reaping for what it had sown. “It was CPM that unnecessarily linked the legal case regarding encroachments in Idukki to the LA issues to protect the encroachers and now it has backfired. The earlier party office was a small office thatched with tiles. Now, the party is building a four-storey building in its place,” said Bijomani.
