CPI office in Munnar on its own land: Veliyam

Thiruvananthapuram, June 24 (UNI) Asserting that the CPI office in Munnar was situated at its own land purchased in 1959, party state Secretary Veliyam Bharghavan today said the CPI need not require ''pattayam'' (title deed) in this regard.

Talking to mediapersons after a two-day state council meeting of the party here, he said even if the government cancelled the pattayams it would not affect the CPI party office, as the land was purchased by the party in 1959.

However, Mr Bharghavan clarified that except the CPI office, party offices of all other political parties were functioning on the government land, which they received through pattayams.

Reiterating that the CPI's declared policy was to evict the ''big guns'' from the government land, he said the CPI, however, did not favour evicting poor people and party offices from the land.

Mr Bharghavan said the party had urged the government to speed up the action against encroachers and the process should be completed in a time bound manner.

Alleging that some vested interests and media were trying to malign the CPI, the senior communist leader warned that if the ''conspirators'' did not stop creating such news, the party would initate legal action against them.

Stating that all the pattayams issued during the tenure of the LDF were genuine, he said if the official had made any ''corruption'' in this regard, the government should make a thorough inquiry into it and take action against them.

The CPI had to face severe allegations from various quarters that it had occupied government land illegally and constructed party office in Munnar.

UNI