The Latin Diocese has taken a tough stance against the state government in the wake of the deep sea fishing deal controversy. While interacting with a media organisation, former Vicar General of the Latin Archdiocese and CBCI Labour Secretary Fr Eugene Pereira said that the government should cancel all MoUs signed and land transactions are done on this matter.
He added that the action of the state government is similar to that of the Centre who passed the three farm laws. The former Vicar General even asked whom the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trying to fool. He further added that they know that the CM and Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma were lying to everyone. “The government entered into an illegal agreement with the American company and they will pay for cheating fishermen in the upcoming elections,” Fr Eugene said.
Fr Xavier Kudiyamasheri of Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council also reacted to the deep sea fishing deal controversy. “Now everyone knows that the government had signed an MoU with EMCC for deep-sea fishing as the Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala revealed details on this matter. We depend on fishing, but the government wants us to depend only on the free ration kits that they provide us. We don’t want it. All that we want is the right to live.”
While interacting with the media today, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that only a part of the MoU was cancelled. He further said, “The MoU signed during ASCEND 2020 still stands and no action has been initiated to take back the four acres of land given at Pallipuram as part of KSIDC’s Mega Food Park.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader V Muraleedharan, who is the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, has come aboard the deep-sea fishing row and claimed that EMCC India International is an untrustworthy company, adding that their address is merely virtual. “The government knew that the company was fraudulent while signing the Memorandum of Understanding, and who gave the state government permission to sign the deal,” Muraleedharan asked.
