Family stands firm on getting their land back

Thiruvananthapuram: The third-generation family members of Aboobacker Kunju, who gifted the land, are firm on getting back the land. Kunju was residing at Vallakkadavu, when he donated the land in 1951. He died in 1965. He has five sons and 17 grandchildren and now the petition has been filed jointly by all. Abdul Kalam, 71, a grandson of Kunju, told TOI that the government does not have any authentic records to claim ownership of the land.
“We have all the documents to prove that this is our land, and it was gifted by our grandfather for rural development. In the deal written by our grandfather, it was written clearly that the land cannot be used for any other purposes than that was mentioned, and it must be given back to the family if done so. By constructing a civil station, the government has violated the condition and it must be given back to us,” said Kalam.
The family members of Kunju came to know that the particular land was gifted by their grandfather in 2017 only. The Pothencode block panchayat honoured them at a function as a tribute to the forefather who donated the land.
“It was then we came to know that the land belongs to us and in February 2020 we approached the First Additional Sub-Court for getting the land back,” said Kalam.