An all-party meeting convened by the Kerala government on Monday, following clashes on the previous two days between the police and protesters at the site of the Vizhinjam port project, failed to break the three-month logjam over the ₹7,500-crore project. A tense calm prevailed on Tuesday morning as security was beefed up after protests escalated on Sunday night at the project site. Protesters led by the Latin Archdiocese have stalled the construction of the port by Adani Vizhinjam Port since July 20, saying it had aggravated coastal erosion in the region.
Congress demurs
Representatives of all major political parties, except the Congress, who attended the conciliatory meeting are reported to have favoured resumption of work on the project, and supported the State government’s stand in the matter. There have already been six rounds of talks over outstanding issues, but no headway since the government and the Vizhinjam Samara Samithi, the organisation that is spearheading the protests, have stuck to their respective positions.
Government stands firm
Food and Civil Supplies Minister GR Anil, who represented the government at the all-party meeting, said charges against the protesters would not be dropped. The government warned against ‘attempts’ to create communal discord in the sensitive coastal belt of Vizhinjam. The port project would not be withdrawn, nor would protesters be allowed to interrupt the work on it, the minister insisted. Meanwhile, the police have registered cases against more than 3,000 ‘identifiable persons’ for attacking the Vizhinjam police station and holding police personnel hostage for hours.
Protesters vandalised three police jeeps, two police vans, four KSRTC buses, over 20 bikes, and a few private vehicles. Additional Director General of Police MR Ajith Kumar said the attack was pre-meditated and unprovoked. The police exercised maximum restraint despite several acts of provocation by the protesters, he said. A lathi-charge followed by bursting of tear-gas shells and grenades was used on Sunday as a last resort to disperse a violent mob.
Damage to property
The Latin Archdiocese-led Samara Samithi said the police had provoked local people by arresting five protesters on Saturday. It alleged a conspiracy behind the flare-up on Sunday and demanded a judicial probe. As many as 38 police personnel were reportedly injured in the violent clashes, which caused damages to public property to the tune of ₹85 lakh. Cases have been registered against at least 50 persons, including Latin Catholic priests, metropolitan archbishop Thomas J Netto, auxiliary bishop Christudas, and vicar general Eugine Pereira, in connection with the violence.