THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alok Kumar Verma and Sridhar Radhakrishnan who oppose SilverLine will not be there to put across their arguments against the government’s ambitious semi high-speed rail project, as both of them withdrew from the panel debate to be organised by K-Rail on Thursday. They withdrew from the debate, accusing K-Rail of adopting a one-sided approach in favour of the project.
While Verma conveyed his decision to Chief Secretary V P Joy, co-panellist Sridhar Radhakrishnan informed K-Rail about his decision to stay away from the debate.
However, K-Rail has decided to go ahead with the debate. With this, the discussion will have three panellists — former Railway Board member Subodh Jain, Chamber of Commerce president S N Raghuchandran Nair and former vice-chancellor of Digital University Kuncheria P Isaac -- speaking in favour of SilverLine, while environmentalist R V G Menon will be the only one talking against the project. Former Indian Railway Service of Engineers official Alok Kumar Verma had sent an email to the chief secretary on Tuesday morning, putting forward his conditions to be part of the debate. Verma said the invite to the debate itself raises doubts about its purpose.
“The invitation says the objective of the discussion is voicing the views of experts in the field so as to inform and educate the people of Kerala about the SilverLine project, a semi high-speed rail line that will pave the way for a major leap in the multi-faceted development of the state”. It raises concerns that the organisers might not be serious about listening to opposing views.
While the earlier invite said the debate is being organised as directed by the chief secretary, the formal invite doesn’t say so, he said. “It says that a retired officer of the personnel (HR) Department of Indian Railway, has replaced the principal secretary, science and technology, as the moderator.”
Verma urged the organisers to modify the invite by revising the objective, making it an invite from the CS and bringing in two moderators, including a government secretary and a senior officer with the Railway Board. Since the mail elicited no response till evening, Verma decided not to attend the debate.
Meanwhile, environmentalist Sridhar Radhakrishnan withdrew from the debate citing that the invite clearly highlights the one-sided objective of the discussion. He further pointed out that the government had disassociated itself from the discussion and seemed to not want to own up organising the programme. Sridhar said it is the state government that ought to listen to the arguments against SilverLine, and not Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail) alone.
Who is Joseph Mathew, asks Kodiyeri
Kannur: A day after the removal of social commentator Joseph C Mathew from the panel for the April 28 debate on SilverLine, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Tuesday said K-Rail officials, not the government, decided who should be invited for the event. “Who is Joseph Mathew?” he wondered, while inaugurating a public function organised by CPM against the “RSS-SDPI-sponsored violence in state.” “K-Rail officials finalised the name of experts for the debate. The government has no role in it. If K-Rail officials decided not to include Joseph, the government cannot do anything,” he said. He termed Monday’s clash between CPM workers and anti-SilverLine protesters at Nadal in Kannur a “natural response” to the opposition being faced by the project. “People who uproot survey stones must be ready to face its natural consequences,” he said.
Debate a farce, says Sudhakaran
T’Puram: State Congress president K Sudhakaran on Tuesday said the April 28 open debate planned by the government on the SilverLine project was a farce aimed at hoodwinking people. “There is no need for a debate that is being held behind closed doors in air-conditioned rooms. Instead, the government should show the guts to hold the debate in places where people are set to become homeless,” said Sudhakaran.
‘Govt clueless’
Kozhikode: Terming the government’s initiative to hold debate on SilverLine project a farce, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the government is clueless about who is holding the debate — whether the K-Rail Corporation or the government itself.
