UDF not consider Chengara land struggle as a political issue

Pathanamthitta, Oct 15 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today said that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state had no plans to take up the ongoing Chengara land struggle as a political issue.

Talking to reporters here, he said the struggle by the landless for land and labourers for employment was not a political issue, but a humanitarian one.

Mr Chandy alleged that the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government was deliberately denying education to the children of the agitators and work to the labourers.

Strongly protesting Chief Minister V S Achuthanandand's attitude for not responding to his first memorandum on the issue on September 26, he said he had presented another one seeking an early solution to it.

Mr Chandy, in his memorandum, had urged the Chief Minister to provide medical assistance to the activists of the 'Vimochana Samyukta Vedi' spearheading the agitation and education facilities to their children, besides job to those who lost employment.

About 1,000 families, mostly tribals, are occupying a portion of the 2,500 hectare rubber plantation owned by the Harrisons Malayalam Limited at Chengara in the district for the last two months demanding land. Rubber tappers and other workers of the estate remained unemployed due to the agitation.

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