<p>Social activist Medha Patkar on Thursday said that it is shocking that the Left Front, which has always stood for people's rights, is going ahead with the rail project that affects hundreds of people and threatens the ecology.</p>.<p>Addressing a protest meeting against the rail project in Thiruvananthapuram, Medha accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of not listening to people's woes. Mass struggles would resist any such anti-national projects, she said.</p>.<p>She also said that the development model of Kerala needs a change in the wake of the floods and natural calamities in recent years. Projects that affect the ecology and lead to natural resource exploitation should be avoided.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/motive-behind-pinarayis-k-rail-project-is-commission-alleges-congress-1093939.html">Motive behind Pinarayi's K-Rail project is commission, alleges Congress</a></strong></p>.<p>She added that the proposed 530-kilometre rail line would not be a viable project, as it aimed to benefit only the elite class and would do a disservice to the weaker sections.</p>.<p>She added that the Left Front government is going ahead with the project without looking into the economic, social, and democratic issues.</p>.<p>She said even as the Union railway minister recently stated that the Centre's nod for the project would be subject to economic feasibility studies, the Kerala chief minister was calling on Prime Minister Modi with the hope of getting a green signal as the Centre favours such major projects.</p>.<p>She also flayed that the Centre was not talking with the MPs from Kerala over the project.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, stiff protests against laying demarcation stones continued on Thursday in various parts of the state.</p>.<p><strong>'CM house demarked'</strong></p>.<p>The BJP has claimed that they had laid a demarcation stone at the chief minister's official residence in Thiruvananthapuram. The BJP also released video footage in this regard.</p>.<p>However, the police maintained that attempt to lay stone was made on the premises of an unoccupied house on the Cliff House compound where the chief minister and many ministers reside. Five BJP workers were arrested in this connection. Police higher-ups were looking into the matter as it involved a security breach.</p>.<p>As per the video footage, five-party workers could be seen scaling a compound wall, trying to lay a demarcation stone. The incident occurred when the chief minister held talks with the prime minister in Delhi.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>Social activist Medha Patkar on Thursday said that it is shocking that the Left Front, which has always stood for people's rights, is going ahead with the rail project that affects hundreds of people and threatens the ecology.</p>.<p>Addressing a protest meeting against the rail project in Thiruvananthapuram, Medha accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of not listening to people's woes. Mass struggles would resist any such anti-national projects, she said.</p>.<p>She also said that the development model of Kerala needs a change in the wake of the floods and natural calamities in recent years. Projects that affect the ecology and lead to natural resource exploitation should be avoided.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/motive-behind-pinarayis-k-rail-project-is-commission-alleges-congress-1093939.html">Motive behind Pinarayi's K-Rail project is commission, alleges Congress</a></strong></p>.<p>She added that the proposed 530-kilometre rail line would not be a viable project, as it aimed to benefit only the elite class and would do a disservice to the weaker sections.</p>.<p>She added that the Left Front government is going ahead with the project without looking into the economic, social, and democratic issues.</p>.<p>She said even as the Union railway minister recently stated that the Centre's nod for the project would be subject to economic feasibility studies, the Kerala chief minister was calling on Prime Minister Modi with the hope of getting a green signal as the Centre favours such major projects.</p>.<p>She also flayed that the Centre was not talking with the MPs from Kerala over the project.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, stiff protests against laying demarcation stones continued on Thursday in various parts of the state.</p>.<p><strong>'CM house demarked'</strong></p>.<p>The BJP has claimed that they had laid a demarcation stone at the chief minister's official residence in Thiruvananthapuram. The BJP also released video footage in this regard.</p>.<p>However, the police maintained that attempt to lay stone was made on the premises of an unoccupied house on the Cliff House compound where the chief minister and many ministers reside. Five BJP workers were arrested in this connection. Police higher-ups were looking into the matter as it involved a security breach.</p>.<p>As per the video footage, five-party workers could be seen scaling a compound wall, trying to lay a demarcation stone. The incident occurred when the chief minister held talks with the prime minister in Delhi.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
