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Kerala govt to HC: No problem with central forces in Vizhinjam
The Kerala government made the submission before a single bench of justice Anu Sivraman who subsequently directed the state government and Centre to discuss the deployment of the forces and submit the details by Wednesday
Thiruvananthapuram
The Kerala government on Friday informed the high court that it has no objection to deploying central forces at south Kerala’s Vizhinjam, where a port project of the Adani Group remains stalled for almost four months amid intense protest by local fishermen and the Latin Catholic church.
The state made the submission before a single bench of justice Anu Sivraman who subsequently directed the state government and Centre to discuss the deployment of the forces and submit the details by Wednesday.
The court was hearing a contempt plea by the Adani Group against the state government for its alleged failure to comply with an earlier court directive to provide protection to resume work.
The plea came days after protesters on Sunday vandalised Vizhinjam police station, prompting police to resort to lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the mob. As many as 36 police personnel and 30 protesters were injured in the violence that ensued.
The high court has pulled up the government over the law and order situation several times in the past.
On Friday, justice Sivraman questioned the government over an alleged delay in arresting the accused in Sunday’s violence.
The government’s counsel said around 175 cases have been registered and over 3,000 people have been booked so far.
He also told the court the matter is delicate and any full-fledged action may lead to repercussions.
“It is impossible to remove the tent put up by protesters at the site without bloodshed. The state government is not averse to deploying central forces in the area,” he said.
The state government had earlier strongly opposed the idea of deployment of central forces.
Adani Group’s counsel said the state government has failed to maintain law and order in the area and referred to Sunday’s violence.
He also said an earlier directive of the court to provide police protection to resume the work was not complied with.
The court directed both the Centre and state government to discuss the deployment of central forces and submit details of the steps taken in this regard by Wednesday.
A large number of coastal people have been agitating, mostly outside the main entrance of the multi-purpose seaport located at nearby Mulloor in Thiruvananthapuram, since August 16, against the port project. The Latin Catholic church is spearheading the agitation.
The protesters allege the unscientific construction of groynes, the artificial sea walls known as “pulimutt” in local parlance, as part of the port was one of the reasons behind increasing coastal erosion in the district.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday condemned Sunday’s violence said such agitations were with an “intention to destroy peace in the area”. He also assured stern action against those who were involved in the violence.
Archbishop Thomas J Netto has been booked for alleged conspiracy.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan also said the state government has no issue deploying the central forces.
“Many key installations like airports and seaports are controlled by central security agencies. We have no problem in deploying central forces in Vizhinjam,” he said, adding the government had agreed to six of the seven demands raised by protestors but alleged some people wanted to continue the movement.
He also condemned the remarks of Vizhinjam protest committee convener Father Theodosius D’Cruz, who recently called fisheries minister V Abdurahiman “a big anti-national and rabid communal”. The priest later retracted his statement.
“His words cannot be considered as a mere slip of tongue. Only a man with such a communal mindset can make such a statement,” Govindan said.
