THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as Shashi Tharoor, MP, has maintained that he cannot agree with the Vizhinjam protesters’ demand that the construction of the port be stalled, he said Central forces should not be deployed at the project site. He was speaking to reporters at the Thiruvananthapuram airport en route to Erattupetta to attend the Youth Congress Kottayam district committee’s programme.
Tharoor, who has been facing the ire of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic Archdiocese over his stand against the protesters on the Vizhinjam port issue, maintained that Central forces should not be deployed there.
“The controversy over Vizhinjam is not so smooth. FIRs should not have been charged against bishops. The fisherfolk are neither against development nor anti-nationals”, said Tharoor. He maintained that big vessels would soon be able to anchor at Vizhinjam port where the construction is in the last stages.
“It will amount to a huge loss if we stop the construction at this juncture. The LDF government should take steps to expedite the distribution of compensation to the fisherfolk,” added Tharoor. He added that he is open to holding discussions on the issues being raised by the fisherfolk. At the same time, Tharoor backed the fisherfolk community where he recalled their magnanimity in parting their land for the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thumba. Regarding the demand for a comprehensive study on the erosion of the beach, Tharoor urged the state government to expedite it.