Issuing a notice on Wednesday, it has also urged the Maoists to immediately stop the land-grabbing spree in the name of protecting unused public land and distributing it to squatters. The Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Landless People´s Union (Revolutionary) has captured 1,442 ropanis in Martara, around 700 in Padkhola, around 600 each in Malebagar and Sundare and around 200 in Fursewa villages of the VDC. [break]
Hundreds of Maoist cadres led by Tanahu secretary of the Maoists Jagannath Khanal and Tanahu president of the landless association had put Maoist flag to announce captured of land.
The notice issued in the name of Chief District Officer (CDO) Shiva Prasad Nepal has categorically said that no one has rights to capture public land. It warns of strong legal action against any person, organization or party involved in land grab ignoring the notice.
“No particular party can put its flag as the local administration has a duty to protect public land. No party has rights to conserve public land by putting its flag,” the CDO Nepal told Republica.
He argued that the responsibility to provide land to squatters also lies with the administration and hence the Maoist drive is illegal. “If they go one step ahead and make any construction, we would take strong legal action,” Nepal said. He also revealed that the Maoists flag will be removed very soon in coordination with the security agencies.
The Maoists, on the other hand, have argued that they have just conserved and not grabbed the land. “We have put our flags as different persons have started to encroach public land with support from political parties,” Tanahu secretary of the Maoists Khanal said. “We have just protected the land for now. We can use it for needful purpose in the future,” Khanal added. He said the party has taken the step to stop grabbing of public land by non-squatters in the name of landless.
Meanwhile, local leadership of Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) have objected to the land grab by Maoists.
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