‘No apology in Muthanga issue, faced brutal beating’; C K Janu replies to A K Antony

KALPETTA: Adivasi leader C K Janu said there is no apology for the police brutality in Muthanga. While talking to a private channel, she said that she faced brutal torture. She said this while responding to former chief minister and Congress leader A K Antony's statement that he regretted the Muthanga incident. She said Antony does not deserve to be pardoned in the Muthanga incident.

'People, including children, were subjected to brutal torture. That pain will remain like that. I am happy hearing that the action taken was wrong. Land should be given to all those who protested there and that would be more beneficial than apologizing. Although a decision was taken to give land to 283 people in Muthanga, not a single plot has been found yet,' said Janu.

The police firing in Muthanga could have been avoided. ‘The government could have avoided that. There was no such situation as that. Everyone was ready for the arrest. However, without doing that, the government went ahead with the firing. All the political parties then were against us. When the strike was held, an agreement was made and the initial steps to give land to the adivasis were taken during the UDF government. The condition then made is still continuing. Even if we accept all that, the assessment is that the shooting and violence in Muthanga were devilish,' clarified Janu.

A K Antony while convening the press meet yesterday said that he regretted the Muthanga incident. 'I was the one who gave more land to the tribals. Yet accused me of burning the tribals. Muthanga is a national wildlife sanctuary. When they built huts there, all parties and the media demanded that they be evicted. The stand changed later. The Centre gave letter three days and action was taken after their warning,' said Antony.