T.N. Mukundan, Communist Party of India Varandarappilly local committee member and district committee member of the Kisan Sabha, has clarified that the legal battle against the construction of Lulu Mall in Thrissur is his personal initiative and not a party-driven move.His response came after Lulu Group chairman M.A. Yusuffali recently remarked that the project could not take off in Thrissur because a political leader had filed a case against it.Mr. Mukundan explained that his petition in the Kerala High Court was specifically against the conversion of paddy land adjacent to Hyatt Regency at Puzhakkal, where about one acre was now under dispute. “My complaint was against the reclamation of paddy fields. Before Lulu Group purchased the property, another business group had mined clay and later filled it with red soil. I filed the case then, and it was later that Lulu acquired the land,” he said.According to Mr. Mukundan, cultivation had taken place on the site until a few years ago, and this had been verified by the agriculture officer. “When construction, including compound wall works, began, I filed complaints. The village officer even issued a stop memo. The agriculture officer’s report was submitted to the RDO and the Collector, who later held a hearing. At that stage, Lulu’s lawyer argued that the land had been legally reclassified, and the matter was taken to the High Court,” he added.Mr. Mukundan stressed that while he was a CPI member, the party had no involvement in the case. “This is my personal legal fight. I have pursued several cases in the past related to paddy land protection, and this is a continuation of that commitment,” he said.Published - August 26, 2025 07:59 pm IST