The land-use battle over K-Rail (SilverLine) alignment demarcation reflected resoundingly in the Assembly on Thursday, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition staging a walkout in protest against the police action in Kottayam against long-time local residents, who, fearful of displacement, resisted the laying of markers for the semi-high-speed railway project.
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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Congress of attempting to resurrect the moribund party by inciting violence. “There are no big protests or widespread resentment against K-Rail. Nevertheless, the Congress is trying to stoke trouble by misdirecting some people to disrupt the survey by attacking K-Rail, revenue and police officials. I appeal to the Congress to halt their wrongful interventions,” he said.
However, a combative Opposition warned Mr. Vijayan to brace himself for the political blowback from the government’s aggressive and unpopular campaign to unilaterally execute the ‘economically, socially and environmentally’ unviable K-Rail project.
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Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the police highhandedness against women and children who resisted the laying of K-Rail markers on their ancestral land at Madapally in Changanassery had further energised the struggle.
‘Authoritarian streak’
The UDF would back the people and fight the Chief Minister’s ‘authoritarian streak.’ The government seemed oblivious to the disastrous outcomes of past land struggles, notably Nandigram in West Bengal.
SilverLine land acquisition has impacted chiefly low-income families laid low by the pandemic. The State’s ‘paltry compensation’ to displaced families offered scant relief. It was insufficient to rebuild disrupted lives. K-Rail held no benefit for local communities.
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‘A debt trap looms’
Even LDF allies were sceptical about the scheme's viability. People were fearful it would push Kerala into an irredeemable debt trap.
UDF leaders said Mr. Vijayan had dishonoured his promise not to unleash the police and impose cases on SilverLine protestors. He appeared bent on repeating the historical mistakes of past despots.
Earlier, UDF legislators sloganeered against Mr. Vijayan in the House. In protest, they trooped out of the Assembly and addressed the media outside the gates. UDF allies also condemned the police action.
BJP stance
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also condemned the police action at Madapally. BJP State president termed the incident an instance of ‘State-sponsored terror.’ He said the BJP backed the anti-SilverLine struggle. He said that the project lacked Central approval and, hence, lacked credibility.