In the end, it was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who came up trumps. The Latin Catholic church had led a 138-day protest by the fisherfolk against the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, the Rs 7,525 crore deepwater container transhipment port project by the Adani Group, raising issues like sea erosion (through dredging for the port) affecting livelihoods and destroying homes of the fishing community, as well as compensation for those displaced. However, an orgy of violence on November 27 made their position untenable, and after meeting the CM on December 6, the Vizhinjam Protest Council (VPC) led by the clergy announced a provisional cessation of fire. Monsignor Eugine Pereira, general convenor of the VPC, later told reporters, “We are calling off the protests for now. The government has agreed to set up a monitoring committee to evaluate the impact of the shrinking coastal zone in the region.”
For Pinarayi, the Latin church’s retreat comes at an opportune moment, with his government already under attack on several fronts. The political victory boosts his strongman image and deflates the opposition charge that he was going soft on the rioters due to the “pressure politics of religious groups”.
Esta historia es de la edición December 19, 2022 de India Today.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 19, 2022 de India Today.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
WINNING THE WAR
THE INSIDE STORY OF THE MODI GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINED BID TO END THE NAXAL THREAT, INDIA'S GREATEST INTERNAL SECURITY CHALLENGE
ART AND THE CITY
DAG's annual art and heritage festival will debut in Mumbai with a multi-site programme
Period Drama
Ram Madhvani's SonyLIV series The Waking of a Nation uses the courtroom drama and investigative procedural tropes to depict the lead up to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
CHARTING NEW WATERS PARADIP PORT'S RISE AS INDIA'S CARGO LEADER
With unparalleled cargo handling growth, cutting-edge digital solutions, and sustainability-driven expansion, Paradip Port is redefining India's maritime landscape. Sh. P L Haranadh, Chairman of PPA, discusses the port's innovative approach to multimodal logistics, green hydrogen initiatives, and future-ready infrastructure in this insightful Q&A:
WOMAN POWER
Season 2 of the Tamil crime thriller series Suzhal, set against the backdrop of a vibrant local festival, features strong female characters
THE TIP OF THE SPEAR
IN India’s arsenal against Left-wing Extremism, the Naxal surrender policy has emerged as a crucial weapon. By providing Naxal cadres a peaceful exit, the policy has reduced insurgent numbers, disrupted leadership structures and logistical support, and yielded valuable intelligence for counter-insurgency operations. Over the past five years, nearly 3,000 rebels, including mid-level leaders, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, significantly weakening Naxal influence in its last bastion.
Magic of Modernism
In its inaugural exhibition, Celebrating the Modernists of Indian Art, Thapar Gallery in Delhi honours several pioneers
THE POWER SHUFFLE
In politics, words can be weapons, but silence is often the sharpest blade. Barely a day after swearing in seven new ministers, all from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar made an appearance at a public gathering organised by another alliance partner—Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)—at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on February 28. What followed was an enactment of brevity.
URBAN ANGST
Sudhir Patwardhan's new solo is a visual meditation on the organised chaos of the city, and the grinding rites of passage its people must endure
VISIONARY BUILDER
This biography of the eminent architect Charles Correa highlights his penchant for design innovation and a sense of social responsibility
