Thiruvananthapuram, August 23 (BPNS)
The stance taken by the state government in the Assembly on the ongoing fishers’ strike at Vizhinjam on Tuesday is likely to get boomeranged. The protestors, especially the Latin Catholic Archdiocese, are irked by the remarks made by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and port minister Ahammad Devarkovil during the adjournment motion. The recent development is being considered to derail the ongoing conciliatory talks between the government and the action council of fishers.
The protest against the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport which has now entered into its ninth day put forward a seven-point demand including halting the construction of the port.
However, the government said that construction activities will not stop and the priority is to complete the first phase of work within the time limit.
Earlier on the day, the chief minister commented that it can’t be assumed that the ongoing protest is being carried out by the fisherfolk alone. He further added that the protest seems to be a pre-planned one.
“One of the impacts being cited with the port construction is the disappearing seashores. But that complaint doesn’t hold water. Because it’s the cyclones and depressions that are affecting the seashore. Also, it can’t be said that the seashore disappearance that occurred in Valiyathura and Sanghumukham in Thiruvananthapuram is a result of port construction,” said the CM.
Meanwhile, the action council and Latin Catholic Archdiocese didn’t mince their words against the CM and the port minister.
“CM is not trying to understand the reality. He is trying to give a communal color to this protest. The port minister is an idiot. His speech at the Assembly is riddled with untrue information,” said them.
The Latin Catholic Archdiocese also went one step further as it recollected Pinarayi Vijayan’s infamous remarks in 2007 and 2017 respectively. While the former remark is ‘wretched creature’ (nikrishtajeevi) that he used to comment against then Thamarassery Bishop Paul Chitilapilly in 2007, the latter ‘get out’ remark was used in 2017 against the media persons when they were covering a meeting convened against the backdrop of political violence in the state then.
Recalling the remarks, Latin Catholic Archdiocese said that the CM can’t say get out to the fisherfolk. It also added that the state cabinet is being headed by a ‘wretched creature’.
According to Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, he is disappointed with the CM’s stance that there is no coastal erosion in the area. He also alleged that the current situation is a result of the state government’s failure to implement the rehabilitation and coastal conservation package envisaged as part of the port project to mitigate its potential environmental impact.
“It is unacceptable to question the motives of the people who are agitating for their rightful existence and livelihood. The problem of coastal erosion predates port construction. The failure of the centre-state governments to build sea walls/groynes has cost us 64 sq.km of territory,” said Tharoor.
Earlier, port minister Devarkovil said that the state government had always heeded to the demands of the fisherfolk including aspects of rehabilitation, ensuring accidental insurance to fishing boats, providing free-of-cost kerosene, ensuring local employment, providing a playground, and others.
“The construction activities were progressing satisfactorily. But it’s at such a juncture that the Latin Catholic Archdiocese has launched a protest citing the disappearance of the seashore and job loss. Some of the problems raised include seashore getting eaten away by waves is a state-wide phenomenon that could be attributed to climate change. Other problems are being discussed or could be discussed at various levels. But stalling the ongoing works is not going to happen,” said Devarkovil.
At the same time, the district administration, in the wake of recent incidents at the protest site, which includes entering the construction site, on the day called an all-party meeting to ensure peace in the area.
A parallel campaign is also there as associations like Vizhinjam Motherport Action Council and Jankeeya Prathirodha Samithi – Vizhinjam alleged vested interests in the ongoing protest.
