The Himachal Pradesh State Secretariat of The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the state government for cutting of apple trees in Kandroo in Theog and Mandhol in Jubbal-Kotkhai. On the pretext of the high court order, the government is actually snatching the basic right to representation and right to be heard. The government should immediately stop this draconian move and provide an opportunity to the people to prove their stand and position.
The Party strongly resist these moves and will mobilize people to ensure that the trees are saved. It will launch a movement against this crusade. The party will submit a memorandum to the chief minister for his immediate intervention. On 17th July a protest demonstration will be organised by the party.
The government’s felling down of apple trees is oblivious of the laws of the land. Even if it is to be believed that there is encroachment done then the eviction must be done after following due course of law. The right to be heard and represented must be allowed.
The BJP and Congress have to be squarely blamed for the present mess. The BJP government in the previous tenure in 2002 had asked the people to submit their applications for the regularisation of their encroachments. It was just to hoodwink the people for their support in election. The Congress government initiated legal proceedings against the kisans and started their eviction.
We ask the government to initiate a process of leasing out land to the kisan on the analogy of forest land being given to private builders under “Eco-tourism”