2008 in Kerala

← 2007 2006 2005 2008 in Kerala → 2009 2010 2011
Centuries:
Decades:	1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	List of years in Kerala History of Kerala

Events in the year 2008 in Kerala.

Incumbents

Governor of Kerala -

• R.L. Bhatia (till July),
• R. S. Gavai (from July)

Chief minister of Kerala -

• V. S. Achuthanandan

Events

• January 30 - Kerala cabinet directs Chief secretary to submit an enquiry report on the controversial 70-acre HMT Land Deal that had taken place in October 2006 between HMT and Mumbai-based HDIL. ^[1] There are allegations that the land which costs 700 crore was sold at a highly discounted price of 91 crores to HDIL's subsidiary Blue Star Realtors. ^[2]
• February 6 - Forceful eviction of poor families from Moolampilly for Vembanad Rail Bridge to International Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi. ^[3]
• February 26 - In an affidavit placed before Kerala High Court, Government of Kerala submits that HMT land deal is legal. ^[4]
• February 28 - British Council Library, Thiruvananthapuram closes down. ^[5]
• February - UDF raises corruption allegations against Elamaram Kareem and K. P. Rajendran over sale of 70 acres of land held by HMT Limited at Kalamassery to a Mumbai based realtor firm Blue Star Realtors a subsidiary of HDIL for building a Rs. 4000 crore Cyber City project during October 2006. This land is valued at Rs. 700 crores and teh deal took place for 91 crores. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}
• June - T. P. Chandrasekharan forms Revolutionary Marxist Party at Onchiam after getting expelled from CPI(M). ^[11]
• July 17 - The government of Kerala revises the Social science textbook for 7th standard students in the state following controversy over a chapter named "Mathamillatha Jeevan" which was accused of promoting Atheism. ^{[12] [13]}
• July 18 - A group of Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers under the leadership of M.R. Murali leaves party to form Jankeeya Vikasana Samithi in Palakkad district. ^[14]
• August 12 - Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 came into effect. This act prevents conversion of paddy land through landfilling. ^[15]
• September 10 - Five youngsters were recruited and sent from Kerala to take part in Kashmir militancy by alleged affiliates of Lashkar-e-Taiba active in the state. ^[16]
• October 7 - Two militants named Abdul Raheem and Muhammad Fayaz hailing from Kannur district and Malappuram district killed in an encounter in Lolab Valley. ^[17]
• October 10 - Two militants named Muhammad Yassin and Faizal from Kannur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala killed in an encounter in the Kupwara district. ^[18]
• November 13 - Kerala Police seized 125 Country Bomb from Panoor. ^[19]
• December 4 - nine schoolchildren were killed and twelve injured in a road accident at Perumannu, when a Jeep hit the children as they were on their way home from school. One of the injured victims died a few days later, raising the death toll to 10 children
• December 17 - Kerala State Road Transport Corporation introduces Volvo Buses in the Thiruvananthapuram – Bangalore route. ^[20]

Deaths

• January 29 - Baby John, 90, politician and Revolutionary Socialist Party leader.
• May 15 - Henry Austin, Indian politician and diplomat, 88.

See also

• History of Kerala
• 2008 in India

References

1. Reporter, B. S. (2008-01-31). "HMT Kerala land deal under scanner". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
2. "Kerala HC ratifies HMT land sale". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
3. "13 years on, dark day still haunts evictees at Moolampilly". The Hindu. 2020-02-06. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2022-01-28.
4. "HMT land sale legal, says State government". www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
5. "The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : British Library closes down". 2008-10-30. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
6. TwoCircles.net (2008-02-08). "Kerala ministers under scanner in land scam". TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
7. TwoCircles.net (2008-02-26). "Kerala opposition walks out over Cyber City deal". TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
8. "Left lands a scam". India Today. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
9. archive, From our online (2012-05-15). "HC upholds HMT land sale". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
10. "HMT land sale to NIA to be complete by June". The Hindu. 2017-05-25. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2025-12-29.
11. "Kerala: Rebels throw CPI(M) out of power in its bastion". India Today. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
12. "Lessons from a Kerala textbook". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
13. "Kerala textbook row: Govt to remove controversial portions". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
14. "Disgruntled reds leave the fold to throw a party". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
15. Sudhi, K. S. (2022-05-14). "An Act at a crossroads". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2023-11-08.
16. "Terrorists for Hire". India Today. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
17. "Kerala's youths have links with terrorists in J&K: Police". India Today. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
18. "Kerala's Emergence as a Terror Hub: Repeated Warnings Ignored". idsa.in. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
19. "125 crude bombs seized in Kannur". The Economic Times. 2008-11-13. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 2024-04-24.
20. "KSRTC flags off new Garuda buses". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2022-05-02.

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