SDPI's open support to PFI workers facing revenue recovery in Kerala

The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has openly extended support to activists of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) who are facing revenue recovery proceedings in Kerala in connection with damage caused to public properties in a flash hartal last September.

Even as SDPI is considered as the political arm of PFI, SDPI leaders were distancing themselves from PFI when the outfit was banned by the centre in last September.

However, SDPI national president M K Faizy has now said at a party meeting in Kochi that SDPI will ensure that no one becomes homeless owing to the ongoing revenue recovery proceedings. "Those who are feeling happy over the ongoing revenue recoveries should understand that no one will become homeless until SDPI workers are alive," Faizy said.

Properties of as many as 248 persons involved in the hartal related cases were so far attached by the Kerala government. The Kerala High court had ordered to recover the damage to public property caused in the hartal on September 23 last year from the accused. The hartal was called following the crack down on PFI.

As per a report filed by the Kerala government before the HC last week, the highest number of properties attached were in Malappuram district - 126. Landed properties, including houses, of PFI's former state leaders and ordinary workers were attached.

The total loss to public properties, mainly buses of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, during the hartal was estimated to be around Rs. 5.2 crore. The state government faced strong criticism of the High Court for the delay in initiating the revenue recovery measures. It had also triggered allegations of the ruling CPM's nexus with SDPI-PFI.

Meanwhile, there were complaints of glitches in the mass revenue recovery proceedings. Properties of an Indian Union Muslim League worker who was not involved in the hartal as well as a PFI worker who died before the hartal faced revenue recovery measures. The glitches allegedly happened due to mistaken identity, said sources.