Chennai, July 15:
A delegation led by CPI(M) Tamil Nadu State Secretary Shanmugam met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat in Chennai and submitted several demands.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shanmugam welcomed the recent Government Order (GO) on Inam lands and raised key issues including the Forest Rights Act, renaming of a village in Virudhunagar district, and the Salem Corporation drinking water contract.
He said the July 9 GO issued by the Tamil Nadu government on Inam lands was a positive step. In Karur district, registration restrictions imposed on four villages—where Inam lands were wrongly classified as temple lands—have now been lifted. However, thousands of farmers and residents across the State continue to face similar issues. He urged the Chief Minister to constitute a special commission to find a permanent solution to Inam land problems across Tamil Nadu.
Referring to a Supreme Court order dated May 29, Shanmugam said the directive to evict people living in forest areas such as Kalakkad-Mundanthurai and Srivilliputhur-Meghamalai tiger reserves by August 28 would severely impact livelihoods. He urged the State government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court and halt the eviction process. He also demanded full implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to ensure land rights for tribal communities and forest-dependent people.
On a social issue, he pointed out that a locality in Virudhunagar district inhabited by Scheduled Caste communities still carries the name “Paraicheri.” Despite recommendations from district officials and local bodies for over 15 years to rename it as “Vadakku Acham Thavirthan,” no action has been taken. He urged the government to immediately change the name.
Shanmugam also opposed the decision to hand over Salem Corporation’s drinking water distribution to the France-based Suez company for 25 years. He said water supply must remain under government control and not be privatised or handed over to multinational corporations. He added that the Chief Minister has assured consultations with officials on the issue.
He also raised the recent custodial death of a differently-abled person in Nagercoil sub-jail. While welcoming the arrest of three accused and the conversion of the case into a murder charge, he stressed that such incidents must not recur. He requested government employment for the victim’s wife based on eligibility.
Highlighting labour issues, he said contract workers are being exploited and demanded abolition of the contract system and regularisation of sanitation workers. He added that even the wages fixed by the government are not being paid in many places.
On the upcoming local body elections, Shanmugam said no decision has been taken yet on whether Left parties will contest independently or as part of an alliance. All decisions will be taken collectively after consultations among Left parties.
Clarifying another issue, he said the Inam land issue is different from the Palani temple land issue, and misrepresenting Inam lands as temple lands is unacceptable. He welcomed the government’s action in cancelling fraudulent registrations and taking action against the concerned registrar.
Strongly condemning political defections, he said, “Horse-trading is wrong, whoever is involved—be it DMK, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, or any other party. MLAs elected by the people resigning within days and switching parties is unacceptable.”
He added that engineering a change in government by splitting MLAs while in office is one kind of issue, whereas MLAs resigning and joining another party is another. He also pointed out that internal issues within the AIADMK have contributed to the current situation and said both scenarios cannot be treated as the same.