THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the Congress and BJP came down heavily on the LDF government for the violence in connection with anti-Vizhinjam port protests, the CPM firmly backed the government and called for strict action against attempts by certain forces to disrupt rule of law and foment trouble in coastal areas.
In a statement, the CPM state secretariat said that like the Vizhinjam port, projects such as national highway development and GAIL pipeline had also faced opposition but were implemented through strict measures adopted by the government.
“The present situation is a result of attempts to wreck the acceptance the LDF government has earned for implementing various development projects in the coastal sector. There should be strong campaign to make people aware of this reality,” the party secretariat said.
The LDF asked the protesters to desist from actions that scuttle the development of Vizhinjam port which is one of the projects that would facilitate the state’s development. “The government has examined the complaints against the project and has addressed most of them. It is at this juncture that some quarters have come up with demands with ulterior motives. This is not acceptable to people who are pro-development,”LDF convener E P Jayarajan said.
Launching a scathing attack on the LDF government, leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the state government was to be squarely blamed for the violence. He wondered why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had so much ego to shy away from a direct discussion with the protesters.
“The police listed the archbishop and auxiliary bishop as accused in the case to provoke the coastal community and push them to violence,” Satheesan said. Alleging a collusion between the CPM and BJP to wreck the anti-port protest, Satheesan advised the government to use common sense while dealing with protesters.
KPCC president K Sudhakaran backed the demand of the Latin Catholic Church for a judicial inquiry into the violence. “The chief minister and his cabinet colleagues have always tried to communalise the agitation of fisher-folk for addressing their basic livelihood needs,” Sudhakaran said.
BJP president K Surendran accused the state government of double standards on the Vizahinjam issue. “There is a conspiracy behind the police refusing to take strict action against those who attacked the police station. It is certain that the assailants had the tacit blessings of the state government,” Surendran said in Kozhikode. He also alleged that Minister Antony Raju was pulling the strings to scuttle the Vizhinjam project.
In a statement, Union minister and senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan asked where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was hiding when the Vizhinjam violence occurred. “The Home Department is headless. Even though there were two ministers in charge of the capital district, none of them visited the spot. The government should end its callousness and lackadaiscial attitude,” he said.
Meanwhile, Balasaheb Shiv Sena demanded that Central forces should be deployed in violence-prone areas. The party’s state coordinator Peroorkada Harikumar urged the Church to desist from instigating fishermen into violence.