Click to play videoThiruvanthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan decided to rush to the Munnar hill resort to personally see the ongoing eviction of encroached land allegedly by the Tatas.
“If anyone tries to disrupt out activities here, let me tell you the state government will even consider taking back the land that has been leased to Tata,” said Achuthanandan.
The Chief Minister did give a fresh impetus to the Munnar eviction drive. But have the Tatas fallen victim to his need to save face with Achuthanandan heading all the way to Munnar for an issue that revenue officials and policemen could have dealt with, that too on a day the ruling LDF had a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.
He clearly has a point to prove, with the opposition breathing down his neck on the slowdown in the Munnar demolition drive, especially after allegations that ally CPI's Munnar office was built on encroached land.
“It is the CM’s attempt to ascertain authority over coalition partners: the Tatas,” said Special Correspondent with The Hindu, C Gouridasan Nair.
The 1300 acres of land which the government claims to have reclaimed, the Tatas say is not theirs. Although a sign board over the land says a different story.
According to the 1971 Kannan Devan Land Resumption Act, 57,000 acres had been leased to the Tatas.
The government now claims they have encroached on more but the Tatas have simply rubbished the whole issue.
“We can’t understand why unnecessary allegations have been made against Tata tea,” said T Damu, special advisor to Tata Tea.
While the Tatas have rubbished the claims of the government calling it just publicity gimmick, for Achuthanathan, it is yet another opportunity to assert his authority not just inside his party but also over his coalition partners.
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