Will support Congress-led UDF in opposing Kerala Forest Act amendments: Anvar

Independent MLA P V Anvar on Tuesday alleged the amendments proposed by the left government in Kerala to the state's Forest Act were ''dangerous'' and ''anti-people'' and said he would stand with the Congress-led UDF in opposing it.

He later visited UDF leader and IUML supremo Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal at his residence here to discuss the issue.

After meeting Thangal, Anvar told reporters that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) supremo assured him of his support on the issue.

He said that he also requested the IUML leadership to oppose the amendments to the Forest Act.

''I will be meeting the Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, others in the UDF and heads of all religious communities. The aim is also to defeat Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF. I am interested in associating with the UDF, especially on this issue,'' the MLA said.

After the meeting with Anvar, Thangal said that UDF was not opposed to the issue raised by the MLA.

''The state government needs to rethink the proposed amendments to the Forest Act,'' he said.

The issue of Anvar's association with the UDF will be among the things the front has to discuss, he added.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said the issue related to inclusion of Anvar in the front should be left to the alliance.

''The UDF leadership will decide on what has to be done regarding that. My personal preferences or interests regarding it have no relevance,'' he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Earlier in the day, at a press conference here, Anvar requested the UDF to oppose the Forest Act amendment Bill and focus on working for the tribals and those living in the hilly areas of the state, saying that it would help the opposition to come back to power.

The MLA said that if the UDF leadership stands with him on the issue, he will back them completely. At the same time, he also said that it was up to the opposition to decide whether they want to include him in their front.

''I am raising this issue for the people. That is why I gave up my position in the LDF,'' he added. His remarks came after he was released from Thavanur Central Jail on Monday following his arrest in a case relating to charges of vandalising the District Forest Office (DFO) here.

The MLA was arrested on Sunday for allegedly vandalising the forest office following a protest over the death of a tribal man in an elephant attack in this north Kerala district.

On Tuesday, he claimed he was arrested over his recent remarks that some leaders and workers of the ruling CPI(M) in the state will leave the party and join the UDF.

He also thanked the Congress and IUML leaders who had spoken out against his arrest. Anvar further claimed that the proposed amendments to the Forest Act were ''dangerous'' as they aim to increase the powers of the forest officials ''tenfold''.

He also claimed that the Bill, which will be tabled in the assembly soon, was also aimed at increasing the forest cover in Kerala by pushing out the people, especially in the hilly areas of the state.

Anvar further contended that the human-animal conflict was on the rise in the state and the government was allegedly turning it into a ''natural occurrence''.

He also accused the state Forest Minister A K Saseendran of not doing anything to resolve the issue during his over three-year-long-tenure.

The MLA further contended that Saseendran was not being replaced as Forest Minister by his NCP colleague Thomas K Thomas to ensure the Bill is passed.

''If Thomas K Thomas is made Forest Minister, he will not sign the Bill as the Christian community is strongly opposing the legislation. That is why Saseendran is not being replaced,'' Anvar claimed.

Nilambur police booked Anvar and 10 others over the incident at the DFO office under various sections of the BNS and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

According to the FIR, around 40 people, led by the MLA, staged a sit-in protest in front of the forest office and 10 among them trespassed into the office of the North DFO later and destroyed articles in the office room. They were also accused of obstructing the duty of public servants and pushing away the police personnel who tried to block them, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)