8/27/2023 0 Comments Portexpert![]() Port Minister Devarkovil once again stressed the LDF line that the coastal erosion was not a consequence of the port’s construction. “The project should go ahead only after removing the concerns of the people,” Balagopal said. Yet, he too spoke in terms of conciliation. He also wondered why the agitation had cropped up now given that the project had been in the planning stage for over 15 years. Significantly, while emphatically stating that the port would be completed, come what may, Finance Minister Balagopal said the LDF Government did not want to see the tears of the fish workers.īalagopal hinted that the hindrances caused by the anti-port agitation could work in favour of Adani. On his part, Tharoor used it as an opportunity to prove to his party’s state leadership that he was an obedient leader who would not violate party discipline. The Congress believes that the untoward incidents, including the attack on Vizhinjam police station by fish workers, were the outcome of provocation by the state government. The state unit of the Congress directed Tharoor not to attend the event as a mark of protest against slapping of criminal cases against Latin Catholic leadership, including archbishop Thomas J Netto, accusing them of conspiring to unleash violence to prevent resumption of construction at the port. Tharoor later issued a press statement saying he had boycotted the event as the government had failed to settle the anti-port protest amicably. Interestingly, senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor also stayed away from the summit despite being the only Opposition leader invited to address the gathering. Related: Adani-promoted port makes CPI(M) and BJP strange bedfellows Tharoor stays away ![]() The chief minister, who was keen on organising such a summit as part of a counter-campaign against the Latin Catholic community, is now rethinking his position, it is learnt.īy staying away from the summit, he has indicated to the church leadership that the door was still open for further dialogue and a peaceful settlement of all pertaining issues. The community, which strongly supported the LDF in the last Assembly election, now feels betrayed by the government, which disapproves of the ongoing agitation demanding a halt to the port project citing environmental and livelihood concerns. Meanwhile, observers said that Vijayan’s staying away from the meeting was part of the efforts of the LDF leadership to mend fences with the Latin Catholic community, which is a powerful vote bank in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam districts. ![]() However, Balagopal and Abdurahman, who stressed the crucial role the under-construction port would play in the future development of Kerala, were cautious about uttering any word that would provoke the agitating fish workers and the Latin Catholic Church, which supports their strike. Using the occasion, Devarkovil dubbed all those who opposed the port project as anti-nationals. Related: Church blames Hindutva groups for violence, seeks judicial probe The anti-nationals tag ![]() Port Minister Ahmed Devarkovil and Sports Minister V Abdurahman were the other two ministers who attended the seminar, and their political speeches won more attention than the presentations by the pro-port experts paraded by the organisers. In the absence of the chief minister, Finance Minister KN Balagopal inaugurated the summit, attended chiefly by government officials and those employed by the port-construction agencies.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |