As part of intensifying the protest against the Vizhinjam seaport, the Archbishop of the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram Thomas J. Netto will begin a fast in front of the port from September 5.
This move comes in the wake of the court rap, which apparently has not deterred the fishermen led by the Latin Archdiocese, Thiruvananthapuram, from continuing the protest .
The representatives of the protesters on Friday made clear that the campaign that most of the demands raised by the fishermen were met by the State government was not true. The State government should issue an order listing the decision taken in response to the demands raised by the striking fishermen, the protesters said. The fishermen should also be given a fishing village by providing houses on five-cent plots.
There would be no change in the protest venue in the wake of the High Court order, which made clear that the work on the port should not be halted in the name of the protest. Emphasising the right to hold peaceful protest, the court directed that necessary police protection be given to the officials and employees of the Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt. Ltd. to carry out the construction works. In case the police were unable to maintain law and order at the site, the State was told to seek assistance from the Centre.
Meanwhile, the protesters marched into the construction site of the port on Friday as well, pushing aside the police barricades. The attempt by the police to block the protesters created some tension for a while in the morning. Later, the protesters forcefully entered the construction site and hoisted the protest flag. The fishermen have been stalling the work of the port since August 16.
