Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday alleged that attempts were on in the country to sabotage land reforms legislation under the cover of industrial requirements.
"An attempt is on by the Centre and state governments to sabotage land reforms by handing over agriculture lands to corporates and such monopolies should be resisted," he said.
Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura were the only three states where land reforms had been implemented and this was mainly due to the governments run by Left parties, Karat said.
He was speaking after inaugurating a campaign rally as part of the Land right agitation planned by CPI-M in Kerala from January 1.
The CPI(M) leader lambasted the Congress led UDF government in the state, saying it was trying to weaken the land reform act in the state with its decision to allow five per cent of Plantation land for other purposes.
`The decision will have serious adverse consequences. With this government decision, nearly 1000 acres would reach the hands of real estate groups," he alleged.
In Kerala, land was scarce, but the number of landless people were more, he said.
The possibility of poor landless people getting land would become difficult with government`s new land policy, he said.
Karat also urged people to oppose UDF government`s move to dilute the legislation for protection and conservation of water bodies and paddy fields brought by the previous LDF government.
The UDF government planned to bring amendments to allow conversion and filling of paddy fields, he alleged.
PTI
