Kerala: Anti-Silver Line project stir continues in state; CM Pinarayi Vijayan rejects agitations as 'anti-development'

Kerala: Anti-Silver Line project stir continues in state; CM Pinarayi Vijayan rejects agitations as 'anti-development'

FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Saturday, March 19, 2022, 04:30 PM IST
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As Kerala continued to witness raging protests by people against the Left government's flagship Silver Line rail corridor project, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday categorically made it clear that the multi-crore infrastructure initiative would be implemented as announced with the support of the people of the southern state.

Locals clashed with officials in Malappurama and Ernakulam districts as demonstrators staged a protest against going ahead with the project.

Malappuram’s Tirur saw massive protests on Saturday, with the locals opposing the move to install the survey poles in Vengaloor village. A woman reportedly removed the survey pole installed on her property and threw it away. In view of the protests, the teams leaving for demarcation for the project are often accompanied by a large group of police officials.

However, rejecting the ongoing agitations being reported from various parts of the state against the laying of survey stones, CM Vijayan said such demonstrations were against the development of the land and none of the projects announced by the government would remain only on papers.

The CM also accused the opposition Congress and BJP of adopting a stand against the progress of the state, but warned them that the common people were aware of their motive.

However, opposition Congress-UDF and BJP reiterated their stand saying they won't allow the Marxist Party government to implement the Silver Line project as people of the state were vehemently opposing it and they would extend all support to the commoners who stage protests in various places.

The Mahila Congress workers also held a protest outside police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram against police action on women agitating against the project and regarding women's safety in the state.

Earlier, 'Metro man' E Sreedharan had criticised the Kerala government’s Silver Line semi-high speed project, saying the project has no specific outline and it will lead to environmental disasters.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said the UDF has taken over the anti-Silver Line agitation and would continue to remove the survey stones being laid by the authorities as part of the implementation of the project.

"The people of the state will not allow such a project to happen in our state. We are with such common people. We will continue our fight," he told reporters in Kochi.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan visited Madappally, a tiny hamlet in Kottayam district, where police had forcibly removed agitators including women as the protest turned violent two days ago, and lent an ear to the concerns of local people.

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