New Delhi: As protests against the Kerala government’s flagship project SilverLine is intensifying in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning. The meeting lasted for about 20 minutes. There are speculations that Pinarayi Vijayan has pushed for the Union government’s speedy nod for the project. To brief about the meet, CM has called for a media meet at 4:00 PM.Meanwhile, just before their interaction, UDF MPs marched to the parliament building to mark their protest. The march escalated to a scuffle between MPs and the police. In the manhandling by the cops, TN Prathapan, Hibi Eden were reportedly injured. The manhandling issue was raised in the Lok Sabha and in reply, the Speaker asked the MPs to give a written complaint.
The proposal for SilverLine has already received the in-principle approval of the union government and the Finance and Railway ministries had taken a positive approach towards the project. Hence, the state government hopes to obtain the nod from the Centre. However, when the UDF MPs from Kerala raised the controversies over the project in the Lok Sabha, the railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had stated that the environmental impact posed by the project is a matter of concern. The DPR is yet to be approved by the Railways.
The opposition has been accusing the government of going ahead with the project without final approval from the Union government. K-Rail Managing Director V Ajith Kumar is also in Delhi now. He has been conducting several meetings for the project with the railway officials
The railway minister had spoken against the project in Lok Sabha. Besides, BJP has strengthened protests in Kerala. It is under this circumstance, Pinarayi Vijayan decided to meet the PM.
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