[Reader-list] Fwd: March in support of Gadgil report

[T Peter]

Western Ghats: Solidarity council takes out march

By Express News Service - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Published: 26th November 2013 12:15 PM

Last Updated: 26th November 2013 12:15 PM

The Western Ghats Protection Solidarity Council on Monday took out a
protest march to the Raj Bhavan here, demanding the protection of the
Western Ghats and the implementation of Madhav Gadgil Report.

They also urged the government to arrest the culprits behind the violence
at Thamarassery in the guise of protests against the Kasturirangan Report.
Speaking after inaugurating the protest, political thinker Ninan Koshy said
that the implementation of the Gadgil Report was the necessity of the time
for the protection of environment and survival of mankind. He alleged that
a section of Church leaders and political forces were trying to scuttle the
report.

Koshy also charged that these groups had induced violence in Thamarassery
and they had to be booked at the earliest. Veteran journalist and human
rights activist B R P Bhaskar alleged that violence erupted in Thamarassery
after a false propaganda was spread about the Gadgil Report among the
people living in the hilly regions. He said that the government, as well as
the political organisations, should come up with elaborate discussions on
the report. Instead, they themselves are aiding the false propaganda, he
said.

Bhaskar also alleged that the violence unleashed by the quarry, sand,
forest and resort mafias in the guise of farmers in the hilly tracts, was
only with the connivance of political organisations, church leaders and the
government. They challenged the Constitution through unleashing such
violence, he said. Solidarity Council secretary K M Thomas, K G Santosh
Kumar, T Peter and John Peruvanthanam were present. The leaders said that
they would chart out a plan of action in a mass convention to be held in
Kottayam on December 15.
March in support of Gadgil report
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/march-in-support-of-gadgil-report/article5392256.ece

The Western Ghats Protection Solidarity Council marched to the Raj Bhavan
on Monday, demanding that the government implement the Madhav Gadgil report.

Rights campaigner Ninan Koshy, who inaugurated the march, said that
implementation of the Gadgil report was imperative for the sustenance of
nature and human life in the region.

A section of vested political interests and some religious outfits were
trying to torpedo the report and were misusing administrative machineries
and encouraging violence at Thamarassery.

*‘Misinformation’*

Mr. Koshy demanded that the government take action against those who were
challenging the law of the land.

B.R.P. Bhaskar, social activist, addressing the march, said that violence
had been unleashed in Thamarassery by vested interests who were leading a
campaign of misinformation by wrongly interpreting the Gadgil report.

Instead of circulating the recommendations in Malayalam for the common man,
and initiating meaningful discussions, political parties and the government
were aiding the misinformation campaign, he added.

*Meet on December 15*

The violence committed by quarry, sand, forest and resort ‘mafias’, with
the silent support of the government and religious organisations in the
guise of supporting the cause of settler farmers, was nothing short of
terrorism, he said.

The council will hold a popular convention at Kottayam on December 15 to
plan their future course of agitation.