THRISSUR: KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said on Wednesday that instead of launching agitations, BJP's Kerala unit must persuade Centre to withdraw the in-principle approval given to K-Rail project.
Responding to questions from the media, Sudhakaran said BJP leaders in state had claimed that they had already tried to convince the national leadership of the disastrous consequences of K-Rail project by taking experts like E Sreedharan to Delhi. They must intensify these efforts and convince the PM and others about the dangers of K-Rail and ensure that the project will not get Central nod, he said.
Sudhakaran alleged that the present rulers in Kerala were pushing the K-Rail project because of their interest in commissions. "All projects initiated by Pinarayi Vijayan after he came to power were mooted with a view to pocket commissions. For K-Rail project, the commission is 10% and you know how high that amount will be considering the huge investment involved in the project," he alleged.
The KPCC president lashed out at the government for the brutal manner in which it was handling the K-Rail agitation. "The incidents happening at agitation sites each day are heart rending. Scenes like parents and guardians being dragged along the streets by the police in front of their children, mothers fainting when they see children being roughed up by the police, and laying survey stones are a few of them. Which state will be witnessing such scenes?,'' Sudhakaran asked.
He said the government must conduct an opinion survey among the people on the K-Rail project. If the majority is found to be in favour of the project, Congress may support it, he said.
In Kochi, K Sudhakaran termed K-Rail as the Nandigram of Kerala at the central Kerala convention of the party. He said CPM will disappear from Kerala along with the end of protest against K-Rail. He urged leaders and workers to support K-Rail protesters.
