Kerala Govt, Church-Led Protests & Adani’s Rs 7500 Cr Project: What We Know So Far

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has said at no cost the construction work at Vizhinjam port will not be stopped.

New Delhi: Almost 10 days back, the protests against Adani Group’s multi-crore port project in Vizhinjam, located in the capital city of the southern state of Kerala, took a violent turn with protesters attacking police officers and damaging public property. The protesters were allegedly led by none other than the Latin Catholic church in the state.

See organised xtian groups vandelising police station in Kerala. Police remaining mute spectator to all this. And we believe this police going to save us when we become minority in Kerala.
This protest is funded by foreighn agencies to sabotage Vizhinjam port. Its Koodamkulam2.0. pic.twitter.com/wOzMbDMGQX

— Pratheesh Viswanath (@pratheesh_Hind) November 27, 2022

VIZHIJAM PORT PROJECT: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

• The foundation stone for the Vizhinjam port project was laid down by former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy back in December 2015.
• Adani Group has said that almost 70 per cent of the work has been completed, but the work has been halted for the last few months due to protests. The protests have been happening for nearly 100 days now.
• Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has said at no cost the construction work at Vizhinjam port will not be stopped.
• After the protests began, meetings were held on August 19, September 5, and September 23 at the ministerial level and with the protesters.
• Local media has reported that out of the 7 demands of the protesters, a consensus has been reached on 5 demands during the inter-ministerial meeting itself. It also hinted at ‘external forces’ trying to sabotage the peace talks.
• The Kerala High Court has allowed the continuation of the construction of the port.
• Kochi Bishop Joseph Kariyil has said the church never wanted to stop the project, he added that development must be for the people. Kerala Minister P Rajeev said the government is not stubborn about anything, but only has difference to stopping the project completely.

DEMANDS MADE BY THE PROTESTERS

1. Conduct an impact study and shelve the project till the report is out
2. Rehabilitation of families who lost their homes to sea rage
3. Compensation for loved ones in fishing accidents
4. Financial aid to fisherfolk on days weather warnings are issued
5. Subsidise kerosene
6. A mechanism to dredge the Muthalappozhi fishing harbour in Anchuthengu
7. Effective steps to mitigate coastal erosion.

Kerala Police’s FIR has named Archbishop Fr Thomas J Netto himself as the primary accused. Auxiliary Bishop, Fr Christudas Rajappan, is the second accused and the convenor of the agitation Fr Eugene Pereira is the third. The FIR has 96 names and reportedly, 50 of them are priests.