Attempts to resolve Pariyathukavu land dispute, says Minister Roji M. John

CPI(M) leader R. Bindu at a protest rally in Pariyathukavu. | Photo credit: The Hindu

Amid reports of failure in attempts to resolve the Pariyathukavu land dispute, Higher Education Minister Roji M. John said on Saturday (Jun 13, 2026) that the government was continuing to work towards a consensus among the parties involved in the matter.

The minister said the government would go to any extent to resolve the dispute amicably and attempt to resolve the matter by June 16, when the extended deadline set by the High Court to resolve the crisis ends.

His comments come amid reports that the family of the late Kannattu Sankaran Nair, who had acquired ownership rights to 2.69 acres of land in Pariyathukavu, home to seven Dalit families for decades, through several court orders, was not in favor of the government’s proposal to end the crisis.

On June 5, the government asked the Nair heirs to consider donating five cents of land to each of the seven families. Although both parties were given time to discuss the proposal and decision, no further negotiations have taken place yet.

Although the minister was supposed to meet with both parties in the district selection chamber on Friday evening, it was postponed at the last minute. Official sources said the meeting was canceled “due to personal inconvenience of the Kannattu family”.

Residents of Pariyathukavu opposed the last-minute cancellation of the meeting, claiming that the government was supporting the applicant’s family and ignoring their plight.

In response to the allegations, the minister called it an emotional reaction.

“The Pariyathukavu land dispute has been going on for decades and this is the first time any government has stepped in to find an amicable solution. We know that it was not possible to find an overnight solution in such a long dispute,” he said, urging both sides to compromise.

The CPI(M)-backed Pariyathukavu Action Council, meanwhile, said it suspected a “coup of bureaucracy and land mafia” behind the Kannattu family’s move to back out of the compromise talks.

“The government should find a solution immediately. Residents including children in the settlement are afraid of police intervention at any time. It has affected their education and social life. The government should take immediate steps to break their trust,” the action council said in a statement on Saturday.

Published – 13 Jun 2026 16:08 IST