KOCHI: In a new twist to the Vizhinjam issue, the state government on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that central forces had the authority to maintain security in the Vizhinjam port area, even if the state didn’t request it. This is a major departure from the government’s stand over the deployment of central forces in the state and is being seen as the state passing the buck on containing the Latin Church-backed anti-seaport protests, which turned violent last month, to the Centre.
Considering the state’s submission, Justice Anu Sivaraman directed Deputy Solicitor General S Manu to get instructions from the Centre and submit its response by Wednesday. The state’s latest stance on deployment of central forces is seen as its ploy to put pressure on the Church.Senior advocate S Sreekumar and advocate Roshan D Alexander, who represented Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd and HOWE Engineering Projects, had moved the court demanding the deployment of central forces. Highlighting the recent violence at Vizhinjam, the counsel said the incident proved the police were helpless in maintaining law and order.
When the court asked what action had been taken against the instigators, the government replied that cases had been registered and police were taking stringent action against the perpetrators. “If the state uses force on the agitators, hundreds will die. The state wants to avoid this,” submitted N Manoj Kumar, state attorney. The petitioners’ counsel said instigators of the protest were still in the shed at the project site. The counsel termed the police action an eyewash, alleging they had arrested only five persons out of thousands of protesters who violated the court’s order.
They said as per the police affidavit, approximately 500 agitators led by Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese vicar-general Eugine H Pereira, besides Fr Lawrence Kulas, Fr George Patrick, Fr Phivovious, Fr Shain, Fr Ashmin John, Fr Sajas Ignatious, Fr Antony, Fr Ar John and Sherly trespassed into the port area with an intention to obstruct the implementation of court orders.They submitted the agitators vandalised the seaport office. “Those accused persons are still in the shed and holding dharna,” they said.
‘Incident proved even cops were helpless’
The court asked the state attorney to specifically clarify the steps taken to arrest the accused persons including the instigators of the November 27 attack on the Vizhinjam police station by agitators. The attorney said they were trying their best to proceed against them. However, they could not show undue haste as it may lead to a firing. The counsel for the petitioners submitted that the incident proved that even the state police were helpless. Hence, the situation calls for the deployment of central forces ‘at least in the project area’.