Govt evicting the poor to appease corporates: Netto

Thiruvananthapuram: The Latin archdiocese has come out against the state government, alleging that they are involved in evicting the poor to appease corporates. In his speech during the Good Friday service, Latin archbishop Thomas J Netto said the state government is suppressing protests against this with an iron hand.
The bishop said the government, in the name of development, is appeasing corporates at the cost of the living of the poor. All the protests against this are being suppressed using force. The fishermen are forced to stay in godowns, and the government is doing nothing to help them.
The Latin archdiocese is not against any development. But we are protesting against the appeasement of corporates, which is leading to a threat to the source of living of the poor. The traditional source of living has become a threat, hence people are forced to leave their homes and migrate to other places, he said.
The government is forgetting that the poor are being displaced from their homes in the name of development, said the archbishop. The new financial policies of the government are leaving farmers, fishermen, adivasis and dalits in dire straits, he added.
Transport minister Antony Raju was present at the service. But he had left before the speech of the bishop. The Latin archdiocese and the Vizhinjam Samara Samithi had been protesting for a cause in Vizhinjam. This strike ended after a discussion with the government. However, the assurances given then remains on paper. The entire community has protested against the government on this. The bishop mentioned this in his speech.