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.
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.
