The Kerala Police on Monday filed cases against more than 3,000 people, including women and children, who allegedly attacked a police station on Saturday, demanding the release of those jailed for protesting against and stalling work the under-construction $900 million Adani port, Vizhinjam international seaport project.
Close to 80 people, including 36 policemen were injured in the violence by mostly a Christian fishing community that has halted work on the port for three months now. In the FIR, the police have said their department incurred a loss of Rs 85 lakh in the attack.
Events of November 26-27 weekend
The protestors had on Saturday allegedly blocked trucks carrying construction material to the port project site, being developed by the Adani group. Reports said 25 trucks carrying granite rocks to the project site were forced to go away and another 25 trucks, at the project site, were not allowed to leave the premises. Work had resumed after a court directive last week reportedly gave the go-ahead to constructing.
On Sunday, the state police lodged an FIR against at least 15 Latin Catholic priests, including metropolitan Archbishop Thomas J Netto and Perera. Following this, 3,000 agitators barged into the Vizhinjam police station, around 20 km from the city, attacked police vehicles and damaged police station property using sticks and bricks.
The FIR that there was a loss of around Rs 85 lakh due to the attack. Sections of IPC including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 447 (criminal trespass) and 353 (Assault on public servant) have been invoked.
What is the Vizhinjam port project
The port, being built under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with Adani Ports Private Limited at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram, since December 2015 has since missed its completion deadline.
The ultramodern port will have 30 berths and be designed to handle giant container ships. It’s strategic location that is close to major international shipping routes, is expected to compete with Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai for a share of trans-shipment traffic.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report in the 2017 Kerala assembly stated that the concession agreement was not favourable to the state government, as out of Rs 7,525 crore, the Adani Group will only invest Rs 2,454 crore. The state and the central governments will have to bear the remaining costs.
The court had multiple times asked the protesters not to block the road to the port premises and have asked the government to remove the shed erected by the agitators as part of their protests. However, the government had on November 7 told the court it was unable to demolish the protest tents at the port due to the presence of children, pregnant women and aged people among the agitators.
Communal flavour
For over three months, construction work had stopped as protestors, said to be led by mostly Catholic priests, had reportedly erected a large shelter blocking its entrance, saying the port's development had caused coastal erosion and deprived them of their livelihoods. Fisherfolk and priests, including the archbishop of the Latin Archdiocese of Trivandum have been charged with attempt to murder, rioting, trespass, criminal conspiracy and obstructing public servants from carrying.
However, a local people’s action committee has extended support to the Adani project. It has political backing from BJP and CPI(M), and moral support from Hindu outfits like the upper caste Nair Service Society, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, and Vaikunda Swami Dharma Pracharana. Senior CPI(M) leader and state education minister V Sivankutty has blamed the Latin Catholic Church. BJP state president K Surendran said that the Latin Catholic diocese of Tuticorin that had organised the protest against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, were behind the Vizhinjam protest.
Fishing community protests
For four months now, fishermen have stalled construction work on the port and held massive protests against the project, claiming it will cause massive sea erosion, and destroy their houses and profession. The protesters have been alleging that the unscientific construction of groynes, the artificial sea walls as part of the upcoming port at Vizhinjam, was one of the reasons for the increasing coastal erosion. They have made the following seven-point demand:
- Conduct an impact study and shelf the project till the report is out.
- Rehabilitation of families who lost their homes to sea rage.
- Compensation for loved ones in fishing accidents.
- Financial aid to fisherfolk on days weather warnings are issued.
- Subsidise kerosene.
- A mechanism to dredge the Muthalappozhi fishing harbour in Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district.
- Effective steps to mitigate coastal erosion.
The government has conceded all demands except the kerosene subsidy and halting the construction of the port.
