The police action at Puthuvype in Ernakulam district on Sunday has lead to a political furore, virtually putting the State government on the back foot, a day after the great optimism the inauguration of Kochi metro generated in terms of projecting a new image for investment-starved Kerala.
Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan’s sharp criticism of the police action on people the people of Puthuvype, a coastal hamlet off Kochi, agitating against an LNG storage facility of the Indian Oil Corporation, made matters uncomfortable for the State government.
Throwing his weight behind the agitation, Mr. Achuthanandan wrote to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking him to order a comprehensive probe and suspend Deputy Commissioner of Police Yatish Chandra G.H. from service.
“When an entire population of an area is on a course of agitation, the government should sympathetically assess the situation irrespective of the arguments for and against the project. It should be prepared to hold discussions in a democratic manner. The people expect this of an LDF government,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also found fault with the government for failing to fulfil the promises made by Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma and felt that such matters required a second look. He maintained that there was no justification for the police action, particularly the conduct of the Mr. Chandra.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala also came out with a severe statement against the “primitive manner” in which the police confronted the agitating people of Puthuvype. He said he had brought up the Puthuvype issue when he met the Chief Minister earlier in the day in connection with the grave situation resulting from dengue. Mr. Chennithala said he had urged Mr. Vijayan not to use force while tackling the popular agitation. “Popular agitations cannot be suppressed with an iron hand,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s site visit later in the evening appeared to have energised the agitating Puthuvype people. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president M.M. Hassan said the police action was the latest example of the government’s attempts to suppress dissent.
The Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation and the National Fish workers Forum, while protesting against the police action, said that the IOC facility was coming up in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone.
