PATHANAMTHITTA:BJP state president V Muralidharan has said that the the party would launch agitation against the state government seeking withdrawal of the declaration of Aranmula industrial zone and restoration of the streams, wetland and ponds, following the cancellation of the clearances for the airport project by the ministries of Environment and Defence.Addressing a meet-the-press programme here on Monday, Muralidharan said the statements of the KGS Group, the promoters of the airport project, were to appease the hapless investors of the company.
After the Narendra Modi Government came to power, the clandestine clearances given by the UPA Government were withdrawn and the KGS Group was in a quandary over the cancellation of clearances by the Centre, Muralidharan said.
The latest in a series of misinformation campaign was the stone-laying by the Prime Minister. The announcement was a shameful one, Muralidharan said.
The BJP leader said the party would continue the agitation against the airport project till all the clearances for the project, including the equity participation by the State Government, are withdrawn.
‘We Took up Issue With Modi’
Soon after the Modi Government came to power, the state unit of the party took up the issue of cancellation of the airport project with the party national leadership. The party is with the people of Aranmula who oppose the airport project, which will come at the cost of the livelihood, drinking water source, streams, ponds, paddy fields and ponds and religious sentiments, he said.The BJP leader sought a comprehensive probe into corruption involved in managing the clearances by the KGS Group.
Victory Day Celebrated
The BJP celebrated Monday as victory day in the wake of the cancellation of clearances for the Aranmula airport project by the Central Government. Inaugurating the victory day after a rally, V Muralidharan said the government at the Centre is fulfilling the promises of protecting the Aranmula heritage and culture, which was the demand raised by the party when it was in the opposition. He said that the BJP is against hurting the people’s sentiments in the name of development. Party district president T R Ajithkumar presided over the function. V N Unni, V A Suraj, Pradeep Cherukol, Ashokan Kulanada, Kidangel Vijayakumar, B Krishnakumar, Vinod Thirumoolapuram, P V Anoj, K K Sasi, Prasad N Bhaskar, V S Harishchandran, Bindu Prasad and Sobhana Achuthan spoke on the occasion.