Ruling Party Facing Criticism from Court and Allegations of Violations
Thodupuzha – The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) finds itself mired in a series of controversies, with scathing criticisms from the court and allegations of violations against the Idukki district secretary. The construction of party offices, including the one in Shantanpara, has also been impacted by government orders and court judgments issued since 2016.
The current wave of controversies was triggered by CN Mohanan, the CPM Ernakulam district secretary, who alleged that the resort owned by Congress leader Mathew Kuzhalnathan MLA in Chinnakanaal was constructed in violation of Bhupativu rules. Interestingly, numerous resorts, party offices, industrial establishments, and shops, not just in Chinnakanal but throughout the district, are reportedly operating in buildings that flout the Bhupativu rules.
In response, Mathew Kuzhalnadan and the Congress have accused CN Mohanan of wrongdoing. The Congress has lodged a complaint, claiming that the CPM offices in Shantanpara, Bison Valley, and Bhicha Akar were also constructed in violation of regulations. It alleges that the revenue department’s suspension memo was ignored, and the construction was carried out by encroaching on government land in Bhicha Akar. The ongoing struggle for survival in the area has led to this issue being raised in the High Court, which demands the resolution of land disputes.
Last week, the High Court issued an interim order prohibiting the construction of the CPM office in Shantanpara. However, despite the ban, the office construction work resumed that very night, led by CPM workers. Consequently, based on media reports and submissions from the amicus curiae and advocates of the survival center, the High Court took action against the CPM district secretary for contempt of court.
The court further ordered that the CPM office in Shantanpara should not be opened until further notice. Some members of the party are now arguing that when CN Mohanan made allegations against Mathew Kuzhalnadan regarding the Chatta breach, he should have consulted with the CPM leadership in the district beforehand.
Government orders have also contributed to the backlash against the CPM. Since assuming power, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has issued three orders aimed at controlling construction in the area. These include the June 9, 2016 order requiring a no-objection letter from the revenue department for building constructions in seven villages, including Shantanpara, the August 22, 2019 order prohibiting any construction in violation of the Bhupativu Act, and the November 19, 2019 order prohibiting construction in Cardamom Monopoly Land (CHR). These government orders have effectively halted construction activities in the area, underscoring the failure to promptly address long-standing land issues.
Additionally, allegations have surfaced about the CPM Bisonvalley and Potenkad local committee offices being constructed through land encroachment. As the construction ban on the Shantanpara office remains in effect, CPM District Secretary CV Varghese stated yesterday that the construction work would be regularized once the Bhupativu Act Amendment Bill becomes law in the next legislative session. It was with this assurance that the party proceeded with the building. However, the intervention of the court has disrupted this plan. The LDF leadership contends that court interventions are exacerbating the land problem in Idukki.
Thodupuzha ∙ The CPM has fallen into a self-digging hole, including harsh criticism from the court and a case against the Idukki district secretary. Government orders and court judgments issued since 2016 have also affected the construction of party offices, including the one in Shantanpara.
Allegation against Matthew; Congress woke up
The current controversies started when CPM Ernakulam district secretary CN Mohanan alleged that the resort at Chinnakanaal, owned by Congress leader Mathew Kuzhalnathan MLA, was built in violation of Bhupativu rules. Many resorts, party offices, industrial establishments and shops, not only in Chinnakanal, but also in the district, are operating in buildings constructed in violation of Bhupativu rules.
Meanwhile, CN Mohanan came forward against Mathew. With this, the Congress also submitted alleging that the CPM offices in Shantanpara, Bison Valley and Bhicha Akar were constructed in violation of the rules and that the revenue department’s suspension memo was ignored and the building was constructed through usurpation of government land in Bhicha Akar. The lawyer of the site of the survival struggle, who is in the struggle, raised this issue in the High Court as well, demanding that the land issues in the area be resolved.
Last Thursday, the High Court issued an interim order prohibiting the construction of the CPM office in Shantanpara. But contrary to the ban, the work of building the office resumed that night under the leadership of CPM workers. Based on the media reports and the report of the amicus curiae and advocates of the survival centre, the High Court took action against the CPM district secretary for contempt of court.
The court also ordered that the CPM office in Shantanpara should not be opened until further order. A section of the party is now saying that when the CPM Ernakulam district secretary made allegations against Mathew Kuzhalnadan in connection with the Chatta breach, he should have consulted the CPM leadership in the district.
Government orders are also backlash
After the LDF government came to power, 3 orders led to construction control in the area. The June 9, 2016 order to seek a no-objection letter from the revenue department for the construction of buildings in 7 villages including Shantanpara, the August 22, 2019 order that no construction should be done in violation of the Bhupativu Act, and the November 19 order , 2019 that no construction should be allowed in CHR (cardamom monopoly land) are the main orders of the government which have stopped the construction activities in the area. These problems would have been avoided if the promises made over the years to solve the land problems had been implemented promptly.
It is alleged that the CPM Bisonvalley and Potenkad local committee offices were built by land encroachment. Meanwhile, the stay is based on the building ban against Shantanpara’s office. CPM District Secretary CV Varghese said yesterday that this construction work will be regularized after the Bhupativu Act Amendment Bill becomes law in the next session of the assembly. It was with this courage that the party completed the building. However, when the court intervened, that calculation went awry. The LDF leadership’s argument is that court interventions are the reason for the worsening of the land problem in Idukki.
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