Land grab issue: INDIA bloc stages stir in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: The leaders of INDIA alliance parties including the Congress, the DMK, the CPM, the CPI and the VCK led a procession and staged a protest in front of the secretariat on Friday condemning lieutenant governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and chief minister N Rangasamy for failing to initiate any action against two BJP MLAs, A John Kumar and his son Richards John Kumar, who were pulled up by the Madras high court for illegally transferring land belonging to a temple trust to their names.

They submitted a memorandum to the chief secretary urging him to expedite the process to take possession of the lands belonging to Kamatchiamman temple from the illegal occupants and handed the property to the temple administration as per the orders of the court. They also wanted a white paper on the value of properties and jewellery of prominent temples in Puducherry.

They also urged the chief secretary to recover the land belonging to Thirubhuvanai cooperative spinning mills from the illegal occupants and prevent attempts by land sharks to usurp government land near Kannagi government school at Villianur, which is earmarked for construction of a government women's college.