Cong-BJP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance opposing growth in Kerala, claims CM

By PTI

PALAKKAD: The bold Okay-Rail challenge of the Left authorities in Kerala continues to be a raging subject of debate with state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday alleging alliance between the Congress and BJP to oppose the event of the state, whereas Leader of Opposition within the State Assembly V D Satheesan termed it anti-people.

Vijayan alleged the Congress-led UDF, the BJP and the Jamaat-e Islami have joined fingers in opposition to the proposed challenge in Kerala and has been opposing developmental actions of the Left authorities.

He additionally mentioned that the BJP was making an attempt to make use of its energy on the Centre to thwart the rail challenge, which is often known as the SilverLine challenge.

“In Kerala, the UDF-BJP-Jamaat-e Islami alliance has been standing against the Left government opposing all developmental activities in the state. BJP is trying to thwart the K-Rail project using its power in the Union Government,” Vijayan mentioned within the CPI(M) delegates assembly at Palakkad.

Citing just a few pages of a purported detailed challenge report (DPR) of the SilverLine, which was out on social media, Satheesan on Friday claimed the challenge was anti-people and can put an enormous debt on the folks of Kerala and the burden might be transferred to the approaching generations too.

Satheesan mentioned the challenge was for the elite class of the state and requested how a Left authorities might implement such a challenge.

“The DPR says if the SilverLine project needs to be profitable, then the highways should not be developed and the AC ticket rates of the normal trains should be increased. The DPR also states that the SilverLine trains will be running empty unless the bus charges are increased. It seems like the SilverLine is a project for the elite class of the state,” Satheesan advised the media.

He mentioned it was clear from just a few pages of the DPR that “this is an anti-people project.”

Vijayan mentioned the folks of the state will oppose ideologies that stand in the way in which of growth and cited the examples of National Highway growth and GAIL pipeline tasks.

“Some media outlets are trying to exaggerate certain protests in the state. The development of the state cannot be abandoned and problems that may arise during the implementation of developmental projects will be resolved. Rehabilitation will be ensured,” Vijayan mentioned.

State Finance Minister Okay N Balagopal had yesterday mentioned the state authorities will take folks into confidence for all tasks and hoped that the Centre’s clearances for Okay-Rail initiative will come on the earliest.

The Okay-Rail challenge, often known as the SilverLine challenge, is anticipated to cut back the journey time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod to round 4 hours, and is estimated to price greater than Rs 60,000 crore.

However, numerous political events within the state are opposing the challenge citing numerous points, together with environmental issues.

Kerala, in a memorandum submitted to the Centre on the pre-Budget assembly of state finance ministers with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, requested help for revolutionary tasks just like the “semi high-speed rail (SilverLine) project by expediting requisite approvals from the Government of India”.

Opposition events in Kerala, together with Congress and the BJP, have raised objections to the challenge.

In October, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan advised the state meeting that approval for the SilverLine challenge was within the ultimate phases.