Anti-rail protest at Kerala CM's constituency

Dharmadam, the constituency of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Kannur district, witnessed a strong protest by people, including women, against the Kerala government's flagship semi-high-speed rail project.

Kannur district was witnessing protests against laying the demarcation stones for the project over the last few days. On Friday the official started laying the demarcation stone in the Dharmadam area. A section of local people, including many women, and Congress workers staged stiff resistance. This had even led to a minor scuffle.

While a section of people was demanding that the government should give a firm assurance that compensation for land and houses would be given in accordance with actual market value, another section was reluctant to spare their land. The people shouted slogans against the rail project. The police maintained utmost restraint.

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Many stones laid by the officials were later pulled out by the local people and Congress workers.

The Chief Minister is now in the US for medical treatment. He has been representing Dharmadam in the state assembly since 2016.

The stiff resistance was witnessed a day after the government initiated a debate on the project.

Meanwhile, the anti-rail action council is also initiating a parallel debate on the project. It invited the Chief Minister and officials of the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited, which is the implementation agency of the rail project, to the debate to be held on May 4.

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