Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister, spoke out against the Vizhinjam fishermen’s strike. The opposition to the projects, according to the Chief Minister, is not just anti-development but also anti-people. When implementing significant projects, fears are understandable, according to the chief minister.
The fishermen had great expectations for the conversation with the Chief Minister during the meeting with the ministerial committee. However, the chief minister’s response in the assembly was intended to make it clear whose side he would support in the debate. The Chief Minister categorically denied the strike, claiming it was pre-planned. The Chief Minister claimed that strike participants are not limited to the Vizhinjam community. Vizhinjam’s conflict is being fueled by several other interests.
The chief minister and minister of the port department Ahmed Devarkovil, flatly refuted the protesters’ assertion that the Vizhinjam project is to blame for coastal erosion. The chief minister added that there was no evidence of coastal erosion being caused by the project during the expert committee’s inspection and the green tribunal’s assessments. In the Assembly, the Chief Minister and the Ministers declared that there was no justification for stopping the Vizhinjam project.
