KL This Week: Investigation on Vizhinjam Violence Begins, Complaint Against Shashi Tharoor to KPCC

The government of Kerala has expressed its willingness to permit the central agencies to provide security at the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VSIL) site. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team visited the Vizhinjam police state to collect information on the violence.

The tension between the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and MP Shashi Tharoor continues, this time creating division among the leadership of the youth congress. The invitation to inaugurate a conference in Kottayam by the youth congress district committee has also sparked a row.

After the delay in obtaining permission for the semi-high-speed rail project from the Union government, the government of Kerala has decided to recall staff deputed for the social impact assessment (SIA).

Kerala has the best maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 0.9 in the country, with 19 deaths for 1 lakh new births. In yet another protest against the curfew in the ladies' hostel, the students of the Government Medical College, Thrissur, have demanded to abolish the restriction.

NewsClick brings a roundup of the happenings in Kerala during the week.

SANGH OUTFIT ATTEMPTS PRO-PORT RALLY

The government, on December 2, informed the Kerala High Court that it has no objection to handing over the security of VISL to any central agency.

Contrary to the reports on the NIA beginning investigation into the Vizhinjam violence, the agency informed that its branch had only collected information on the incident.

Even as uneasy calm prevails in the villages adjoining Vizhinjam, the Hindu Aikya Vedi (HAV), a Sangh Parivar organisation, attempted to take out a rally in support of the construction works. The police had denied permission for the rally and detained those who took part in the rally.

With communal tensions prevailing, the organisation known for its anti-minority rhetoric had called for the pro-port rally.

YOUTH CONGRESS DIVIDED OVER THAROOR EVENT

The division in the KPCC and Youth Congress over hosting party MP Shashi Tharoor continues, this time creating a divide between the two organisations in the Kottayam district. The youth congress had invited Tharoor to inaugurate an event, which was boycotted by the district Congress committee (DCC) president and other leaders.

A section of the leadership in Kottayam has demanded action against KS Sabarinathan, vice president of the youth congress, for his comments against the DCC president.

The Kottayam DCC has announced its intentions to lodge complaint against Tharoor with the KPCC on the event organised, while senior leaders have announced a boycott of the program. The decision of Tharoor to concentrate more on state politics after his loss in the AICC presidential election has not gone well with the several leaders of the KPCC.

The disciplinary committee of the KPCC issued a direction to leaders not to indulge in parallel politics in an apparent warning to Tharoor.

STAFF FOR THE SILVERLINE PROJECT REDEPLOYED

The revenue department of Kerala recalled the staff deputed for the ambitious semi-high train services, the Silverline project proposed by the left democratic front (LDF) government. After the delay in permission from the Union government, the government has decided to redeploy the staff.

The 206 staff deputed for the land survey and SIA in the 11 districts through which the semi-high-speed train was planned will be brought back to their parent departments.

MEDICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PROTEST NIGHT CURFEW

The students of the Government Medical College (GMC) are protesting against the night curfew imposed in the ladies' hostel. The hostel inmates were directed to enter the hostel before 9.30 pm, which led to the protest.

Earlier, a similar protest erupted in the GMC, Kozhikode, and the students had approached the high court to uplift the ban. The Students Federation of India (SFI) has extended support for quashing the curfew but the taken the route of organised protest rather than the legal course.

STRIKE AGAINST ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE

The UDF held a hartal in the Idukki district against the announcement of an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) on November 28. The UDF accused the LDF government of going back on its promises by banning construction works, preventing human-animal conflict and addressing issues pertaining to the Land Assignment Act - 1964 and Special Act - 1993.

The hartal coincided with the visit of the minister for industries P Rajeev for an investment meet in the district.

MATERNAL MORTALITY BELOW 1 IN KERALA

The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the state stands at 0.9, the only state to achieve the distinction, as per the report of the Registrar General of India. The state accounts for 19 deaths/ one lakh births. Assam has the worst rate, with 197 deaths/one lakh births.

Meanwhile, the Malappuram district has the highest middle-class population growth in the country, as per the People Research on India's Consumer Economy (PRICE) findings. The middle class in the country has more than doubled from 14% during 2014-15 to 31% during 2021-22.