Fishermen belonging to the Latin Archdiocese blocking the Vizhinjam port in Thiruvananthapuram. (File photo | B P Deepu)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Latin Church demanded a judicial probe on the incidents that resulted in violence at Vizhinjam on Saturday and Sunday. The Vicar General of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese, and the general convenor of the protest, Eugine H Pereira, accused the government of scripting the violence.
“It was a conspiracy to weaken the fishermen's protest against the port. Both the government and Adani worked hand in hand for fomenting violence. The fishermen responded only at the last moment in the face of continuous provocations,” he said.
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He was responding after the fishermen and police clashed at Vizhinjam on Sunday evening. Several people including policemen were injured in the police station attack and the lathi charge that followed. The provocation came after the police arrested fishermen in connection with the violence at the port site on Saturday. The fishermen opposing the port project had clashed with the people supporting the port.
Meanwhile, the government has initiated negotiations to resolve the issue. The district administration has called for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue on Monday. The High Court will hear the petition filed by Adani against the obstruction caused by the protestors in resuming the port work. The Latin Church also filed an appeal against the court verdict allowing port construction. The government is awaiting further action based on the direction of the court.
Ports minister Ahamed Devarkovil blamed the Latin Church for communalising the protest. He reiterated that the port project could not be stalled and the government had accepted five out of seven demands raised by the protestors.
