Left parties urge TN govt to stop eviction drive

CHENNAI: Left parties on Sunday urged the state government to immediately suspend the demolition of houses at Govindasamy Nagar in Mylapore where a 60-year-old person self-immolated in protest against the eviction drive.

CPI state secretary R Mutharasan and CPI (M) state secretariat member K Kanagaraj visited the residential area and interacted with the affected people. Revenue department officials were demolishing 259 houses at Govindasamy Nagar which is located near Buckingham Canal since April 29 citing a Court order.

Speaking to reporters R Mutharasan said that the government had declared the Govindasamy Nagar a slum settlement 40 years ago. “The houses were not located close to the Buckingham canal. The pillars of the MRTS were located in the middle of the canal. An individual has filed a public interest petition to increase the value of the land owned by him. The government should have argued against it in the court, ” he said.

Pointing out that veteran CPI leader R Nallakannu and CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan has brought the issue to the notice of the chief minister, he said even after that the officials and police have acted harshly toward women. “If the chief minister had known all this, he certainly would not have allowed it. The affected people should be given alternative accommodation and their houses should be rebuilt, ” he demanded.

CPI (M) leader Kanagaraj said it is illegal to pass an order on a PIL without hearing the arguments of the public and against the established court procedures. “Even if the government takes a policy decision to reclassify the land, the court imposes the ban. Does that mean court rule is happening? The court is acting ruthlessly, ” he said, adding that his party would stand with people in their protest against the eviction drive.