THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Adani Group’s Vizhinjam international seaport project, caught in an agitation by fisherfolk claiming a threat to their lives and livelihood, has brought arch-rivals CPM and BJP together in the district.
District politicians of both parties took part in a “long march” taken out by the Save Vizhinjam Port action council to the government secretariat on Tuesday. Even local Congress politicians took part in the march.
CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan and BJP district president V V Rajesh addressed the march in front of the secretariat while thousands participated. The action council is a collective comprising residents of Vizhinjam and its adjoining areas. It is for the first time that CPM and BJP politicians have come together on a public platform against the agitation.
“The protesters are being controlled by a group which has ulterior motives. They have vested interests and that is why they are continuing with the agitation even after the government has agreed to their demands,” Nagappan said. “CPM will provide all support to the people’s collective.” Rajesh said the central and state governments were making efforts to complete construction at the earliest. “The agitation is an attempt to sabotage the plan. BJP will provide all support to the project,” he said.
The LDF government had agreed to consider some demands of the protesters but declined to halt construction. The Kerala HC had also directed that any protest shouldn’t affect construction work.
District politicians of both parties took part in a “long march” taken out by the Save Vizhinjam Port action council to the government secretariat on Tuesday. Even local Congress politicians took part in the march.
CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan and BJP district president V V Rajesh addressed the march in front of the secretariat while thousands participated. The action council is a collective comprising residents of Vizhinjam and its adjoining areas. It is for the first time that CPM and BJP politicians have come together on a public platform against the agitation.
“The protesters are being controlled by a group which has ulterior motives. They have vested interests and that is why they are continuing with the agitation even after the government has agreed to their demands,” Nagappan said. “CPM will provide all support to the people’s collective.” Rajesh said the central and state governments were making efforts to complete construction at the earliest. “The agitation is an attempt to sabotage the plan. BJP will provide all support to the project,” he said.
The LDF government had agreed to consider some demands of the protesters but declined to halt construction. The Kerala HC had also directed that any protest shouldn’t affect construction work.
