LDF team to meet President

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An LDF delegation will soon go to New Delhi and meet President Pratibha Patil to press for her assent to the Plaachimada compensation tribunal Bill. Senior leaders and MPs will be part of the delegation.“It has been six months since the Kerala Assembly passed the Bill unanimously. Now, the State Government doesn’t show any interest to push the Bill and a lobby is working against it. That is why we feel a mass campaign is necessary to obtain presidential assent to the Bill,’’ said LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan after the state committee meeting of the LDF here on Monday.  He said there will be mass conventions at all districts headquarters on the day when the delegation meets the President. The LDF meeting also decided to oppose strongly any move by the government to dilute the land reforms Act. “There were certain suggestions in the budget presented by K M Mani which threw enough hints that the government is trying to sabotage land reforms Act.“Allowing 5 percent of land in plantations to be used for other purposes and relaxations proposed for cashew plantations are part of that agenda,’’ said Viswan.  He said that such steps will only help the real estate mafia to prosper and warned of agitations in case government went aheadwith the move. The LDF state committee also demanded withdrawal of surcharge on electricity, move to hike the price of essentials in Supplyco outlets and the move to do away with subsidy for kerosene. Referring to the Union Government’s decision to reduce the import duty on rubber, Viswan said the LDF would organise strong protests against it.  “A farmers’ march to the Rubber Board headquarters at Kottayam is being planned,’’ he said.The LDF asked the  Governor not to approve the  Finance Bill passed by the  Assembly as it felt that the passage had been faked by  delaying the voting procedure. “We have already met the Governor and submitted the complaint,”said Viswan.He criticised the Speaker for acting in a partisan way when the issue came up.