THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an evident political move ahead of the general elections, the state government has withdrawn a majority of the cases registered in 2022 against people involved in protests against the construction of Vizhinjam port. The government announced its decision to withdraw 157 of the 199 cases registered.
The government emphasised that petty cases have been withdrawn while 42 serious cases remain. The decision came at a time when all political parties are trying to win the hearts of the Latin Catholic community which has a significant sway in some of the coastal belts, especially in Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal constituencies.
It was K V Thomas, the state’s special representative in New Delhi, who acted as a mediator for the reconciliation effort, which led to the talks between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Latin Church on March 8. Following this, the government decided to withdraw the cases.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) said the government's action was not fully satisfactory.