<p>A tense atmosphere in the coastal areas of Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram over recurring fishing boat mishaps has snowballed into a rift between the CPM-led state government and the Latin Catholic church.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic church was agitated over the police registering a case against senior priest, vicar general Eugene Pereira, accusing him of trying to make a call for riot. The opposition Congress also backed the church's demand to withdraw the case against the priest.</p>.<p>Four fishermen died after a fishing boat capsized near Muthalapozhi harbour on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Local fishermen allege that the unscientific construction of groynes (artificial sea walls) as part of the upcoming Vizhinjam seaport project have made the region-accident prone. In the last ten months alone around ten boat mishaps occurred in the region, they say.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/cpim-congress-accuse-each-other-of-creating-tension-over-kerala-boat-accident-1235939.html" target="_blank">CPI(M), Congress accuse each other of creating tension over Kerala boat accident</a></strong></p>.<p>A fresh row was triggered on Monday after a delegation of ministers, who had gone to visit the mishap spot, were heckled by the local people. Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty, who was part of the delegation, subsequently accused the priest of making a call for the protest. Later on, the police registered the case against the priest, accusing him of trying to provoke the people and incite them to riot.</p>.<p>Fr Pereira said the government was trying to silence those who tried to protest. “The case against me is a pre-meditated one. It was the ministers who ignited tension by asking the emotionally sensitive fishermen not to show off,” he said.</p>.<p>Other Latin Catholic priests also condemned the police action against the priest. Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress echoed Pereira’s version and demanded that the police case against the vicar be withdrawn.</p>
<p>A tense atmosphere in the coastal areas of Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram over recurring fishing boat mishaps has snowballed into a rift between the CPM-led state government and the Latin Catholic church.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic church was agitated over the police registering a case against senior priest, vicar general Eugene Pereira, accusing him of trying to make a call for riot. The opposition Congress also backed the church's demand to withdraw the case against the priest.</p>.<p>Four fishermen died after a fishing boat capsized near Muthalapozhi harbour on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Local fishermen allege that the unscientific construction of groynes (artificial sea walls) as part of the upcoming Vizhinjam seaport project have made the region-accident prone. In the last ten months alone around ten boat mishaps occurred in the region, they say.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/cpim-congress-accuse-each-other-of-creating-tension-over-kerala-boat-accident-1235939.html" target="_blank">CPI(M), Congress accuse each other of creating tension over Kerala boat accident</a></strong></p>.<p>A fresh row was triggered on Monday after a delegation of ministers, who had gone to visit the mishap spot, were heckled by the local people. Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty, who was part of the delegation, subsequently accused the priest of making a call for the protest. Later on, the police registered the case against the priest, accusing him of trying to provoke the people and incite them to riot.</p>.<p>Fr Pereira said the government was trying to silence those who tried to protest. “The case against me is a pre-meditated one. It was the ministers who ignited tension by asking the emotionally sensitive fishermen not to show off,” he said.</p>.<p>Other Latin Catholic priests also condemned the police action against the priest. Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress echoed Pereira’s version and demanded that the police case against the vicar be withdrawn.</p>
