Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s statement in the Assembly that the State government will provide land and houses to seven Scheduled Caste (SC) families facing potential eviction at Pariyathukavu, a Dalit settlement at Malayidamthuruth near Kizhakkambalam, has not gone down well with the affected families and the Pariyathukavu Samara Samithi spearheading their agitation.

CPI(M) district leadership also slammed the statement. Mr. Satheesan’s statement came in response to a calling attention motion by Kunnathunadu MLA V.P. Sajeendran. The Kerala High Court had last month granted the State government two weeks’ time to find a solution and comply with the Supreme Court order to evict the seven families at Pariyathukavu. The eviction order was issued by the Supreme Court four years ago in favour of a private individual in a land dispute involving 2.62 acres allegedly falling within 19.98 acres of puramboke land. The High Court has posted the case for hearing on June 9.

“The decision to grant land and houses has come out of the blue, without the knowledge of the affected families or the Samara Samithi. Granting a few cents to the families was an option available to the previous government as well. Our position all along has been that the contentious 19.98 acres should be measured and, if found to be government puramboke land, title deeds should be issued to the families who have been residing there for generations,” said K.M. Siraj, convener of Pariyathukavu Samara Samithi.

The decision appears to be an attempt to backtrack from the government’s earlier assurance to measure the land to determine whether it was puramboke land or belonged to the private individual who had gone to court claiming ownership. Mr. Sajeendran had publicly opposed the move to measure the land before the Assembly election. However, the decision ultimately rests with the families concerned. The Samithi will not object to them benefiting from the government’s offer, if that is what they desire, Mr. Siraj added.

P.T. Saji, a member of one of the seven affected families, said there was no question of moving out of their land. “A commitment to measure the land to ascertain whether it was puramboke land was initially given to us by Minister Roji M. John when a meeting was convened by the District Collector to discuss the matter. Later, a similar assurance was also given by K.A. Thulasi, Minister for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes, when she visited the families,” he said.

CPI(M) district secretary S. Satish said the Chief Minister had claimed that the affected families had agreed to the government’s assurance of providing land and constructing houses for their rehabilitation. However, the families maintain that they have not accepted rehabilitation. “In the absence of any such discussions with the families, the Chief Minister has lied in the Assembly. This amounts to protecting the land mafia and deceiving the Dalit families,” Mr. Satish said.

He asserted that Dalit families, who have settled there for generations, will not be allowed to be evicted. “It is unbecoming of the Chief Minister to make statements that mislead the public. People will see through it. The CPI(M) will remain steadfast with the families until they receive ownership of the land,” Mr. Satish added.