Latest news with #JoseK.Mani
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
KC(M) calls for Assembly session to discuss stray dog menace and wildlife attacks
Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] chairperson Jose K. Mani has called for an emergency session of the Legislative Assembly to discuss the threat posed by wild animal attacks and stray dog menace in the State. Calling for both legislative amendments and new laws to ensure human safety, he also demanded that all stray dogs in areas where rabies has been confirmed be captured and culled. 'When the Supreme Court issued a verdict banning Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, the State government there introduced new legislation to override the ruling. Kerala should adopt a similar model and be prepared to enact new laws to curb wild animal and stray dog attacks,'' he said in a statement on Sunday. If Kerala fails to adopt a firm stance that wild animals should be protected only within forest boundaries, it could lead to serious long-term consequences. When wild animals and stray dogs pose a threat to people's property and lives, the responsibility of ensuring human safety should be handed over entirely to the police, without having to wait for decisions from the Chief Wildlife Warden or the Animal Welfare department. For this, amendments must be made to the existing laws, he added.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Munambam Land Protection Council meets Jose K. Mani, seeks government intervention
Leaders of the Munambam Land Protection Council met with Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] chairperson Jose K. Mani, MP, on Sunday (July 6), seeking his intervention in resolving the long-standing Waqf land issue. The delegation, comprising Fr. Antony Xavier (patron of the council), chairperson Joseph Rockey and convener Joseph Benny, held a 45-minute discussion with Mr. Mani. They urged him to push for a permanent resolution to the land dispute and sought his support to bring the matter to the attention of the State government. Speaking after the meeting, Fr. Rockey said Mr. Mani had been approached in his capacity as a representative of the community. He also acknowledged the supportive stance Mr. Mani had taken in the Rajya Sabha in favour of the protesting families in Munambam. To expediate action 'Now that the judicial commission has submitted its report, we have requested Mr. Mani's help in expediting government action. It has been 268 days since our protest began and it will complete one year on October 13. We are hoping for an early and lasting resolution,' he said. Mr. Mani, for his part, assured the delegation that he would raise the issue with the State government. 'The matter is under the consideration of both the tribunal and a judicial commission. The concerns raised by the delegation will be brought to the attention of the Chief Minister and the relevant departments. We will do everything possible to address their grievances,' Mr. Mani said. The Kerala Congress (M) regards the meeting as a positive outcome of its ongoing efforts to reach out to the predominantly Catholic families protesting in Munambam. With Munambam residents Earlier, during the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Mani had made a pointed effort to align himself with the people of Munambam, who are locked in a legal dispute over land ownership before a Waqf tribunal. While he expressed partial support for certain provisions in the Bill, Mr. Mani ultimately voted against it. In his speech, Mr. Mani had backed key clauses such as the provision allowing court challenges to Waqf Board rulings and another revoking the board's unilateral power to designate land as Waqf property. At the same time, he voiced strong opposition to the Bill's controversial provisions allowing non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and State Boards.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala Congress (M) to demand more seats from LDF in local body polls
The Kerala Congress (M) State secretariat, which met here on Friday, has decided to press for a larger share of seats from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the upcoming local body elections. Asserting its political claim, the meeting entrusted district unit presidents with the task of initiating seat-sharing discussions with LDF leadership at the district level. The party also reviewed its grassroots election preparations and decided to intensify ward-level campaigns. To bolster these efforts, special responsibilities will be assigned to both district and State-level leaders. Fundraising strategies to support campaign activities were also evaluated during the session. Addressing the meeting, party chairman Jose K. Mani remarked that the United Democratic Front's (UDF) recent calls for front expansion reflect a deeper crisis of confidence. He dismissed the notion that the outcome of the Nilambur by-election could be seen as a political mandate for the UDF. On Nilambur verdict 'Nilambur has long been a UDF stronghold. This verdict does not in any way diminish the LDF's prospects for continued governance,' he said. 'We will take the outcome in stride and work to further improve the performance of both the government and the front.' To address the pressing concerns of farmers and high-range communities, the party will constitute an expert committee for a comprehensive study. A policy manifesto based on its findings will be presented to the LDF. Mr. Mani also pointed out that the biggest legislative obstacle in resolving human-wildlife conflict is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, enacted during Congress rule at the Centre. He urged the State government to fast-track legal reforms, within constitutional limits, to safeguard the lives and property of people in affected regions. He further emphasised the need for timely resolution of land deed disputes in high-range areas, removal of restrictions preventing farmers from felling trees on their own land and other grassroots grievances through coordinated inter-departmental action. The party also called for urgent steps for a hike in welfare pensions for vulnerable sections and the implementation of a support price of ₹250 per kg for natural rubber. The meeting, chaired by Jose K. Mani, was attended by Minister Roshi Augustine, Vice Chairmen N. Jayaraj and Thomas Chazhikadan, and other senior leaders.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
KC(M) secretariat to meet amid buzz over possible UDF return
Amid intensifying speculation over a possible return to the United Democratic Front (UDF), the Kerala Congress (M) is set to convene a crucial meeting of its State secretariat in Kottayam on Friday. While the official agenda centres on preparations for the upcoming local body elections, party insiders confirm that the recent setback in the Nilambur bypoll is likely to dominate discussions. 'Concerns over anti-incumbency and growing unrest among settler farmers are real. From farm distress and frequent wildlife attacks to unresolved issues such as the Munambam land row, the party has much to renegotiate with its traditional vote base if it is to continue with the LDF,' a senior KC(M) leader admitted. At the same time, the party acknowledges that walking away from the LDF won't be easy. The CPI(M) has made significant concessions to keep the KC(M) within the alliance, including handing over a Rajya Sabha seat to party chairman Jose K. Mani. With no clear alternative alliance and considerable political capital already invested, the leadership remains cautious. Still, pressure is building within the party. Some factions view the current moment as an opportunity to demand a greater share of seats in the local body elections and revive the KC(M)'s grassroots strength. Whether chairman Jose K. Mani will endorse such a stance remains uncertain. In the meantime, the party is already laying the groundwork for its poll campaign, especially in central Travancore. Efforts are under way to address an array of local issues ranging from flood mitigation to tackling wildlife incursions in the high ranges. Aimed at countering voter fatigue and a possible anti-incumbency wave, the KC(M) is also preparing to field those with strong community roots and family ties in hopes that familiar faces will help regain public trust at the ward level. Meanwhile, the Congress in central Travancore has already signalled its willingness to welcome the KC(M) back into the UDF fold. With an eye on consolidating the Christian vote, the Congress sees the return of the KC(M) as vital to both a central Travancore resurgence and a deeper engagement with the Catholic Church.
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Central Travancore politics dives into floodwaters as local body polls loom
With local body elections on the doorsteps, political battlelines are being drawn not just on land, but across the rivers and lakes of central Travancore too. Environmental issues have surged to the centre of the political discourse as parties crank up their campaign machinery. The Kerala Congress(M), for instance, has sprung into action with a symposium on the recurring floods in the Meenachil river. Addressing the event, KC(M) Chairman Jose K. Mani called for a complete overhaul in water management strategies, urging the State to adopt long-term flood-control plans. 'River and stream storage capacities must be maximised. Check-dams should follow a seasonal protocol. Desilting and waste removal from waterbodies are crucial, and excess river sand must be auctioned,' he said. The party plans to compile the recommendations that came up in the symposium and present them to the State government. Interestingly, the KC(M) itself holds the State's Water Resources portfolio, with Roshy Augustine at the helm. The rival faction led by P.J. Joseph, on the other hand, is launching a protest campaign anchored on Vembanad Lake, which serves as the lifeline for the flood-prone Kuttanad and upper Kuttanad regions. Charging that neglect and government inaction have brought the lake to the brink, the first phase of its protest kicks off on Saturday, June 28, on the banks of Vembanad near the Vaikom boat jetty . 'Silt, mud, and garbage have choked Vembanad Lake, drastically cutting its storage capacity. Frequent floods and crop destruction have become the norm. The State and Centre have ignored the Swaminathan commission's recommendations. Even the much-hyped Kuttanad Package remains a paper promise,' the party said, in a statement. It is demanding immediate, targeted action: restore the lake, revive dying waterbodies such as the Kariyar and Thottappally, safeguard paddy fields, and rollout special flood-relief projects across Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta.
