Thiruvananthapuram, June 10 (IANS) The Congress party in Kerala has announced statewide protests across nearly 50 coastal constituencies on June 11, accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government of showing “callous indifference” by not initiating criminal proceedings against the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), whose cargo vessel capsized off the Kerala coast on May 24.

The Congress’s ire was sparked by a note issued by Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak, following a review meeting with the Chief Minister, which stated that the state government had decided not to file a criminal case against MSC, despite serious environmental concerns arising from the sinking of MSC ELSA-3, which was reportedly carrying hazardous cargo.

The note cited MSC’s global reputation and stressed the importance of maintaining Kerala’s “goodwill” for the company’s continued operations in the region.

State Congress president Sunny Joseph strongly criticised the decision and the government’s silence, especially in the wake of a second cargo ship mishap on Monday, when a Singapore-flagged vessel was abandoned off the Kozhikode coast. Eighteen crew members were rescued, while four remain missing.

“We are deeply concerned by the stoic silence of the Vijayan government and its willingness to give a clean chit to the shipping company. The inaction speaks volumes. To awaken the conscience of the government, we will organise a protest on June 11,” said Joseph.

Meanwhile, TV news channels have seized on the controversy, highlighting the CPI(M)’s past criticism of the Congress-led UDF and the UPA government during the Enrica Lexie incident in 2012. In that case, two Italian marines aboard the merchant ship Enrica Lexie shot dead two Indian fishermen, triggering national outrage.

Archived footage is now being widely broadcast, showing former CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and senior leader V.S. Achuthanandan (then Leader of Opposition) lambasting then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for their “soft” handling of the case and alleged protection of the Italian marines.

A political observer said, “This is classic CPI(M). Their positions change drastically depending on whether they’re in the opposition or in power. They once opposed tractors, computers, and private universities — only to welcome all three once in office.”

With growing scrutiny and public anger, the issue is rapidly snowballing into a major political flashpoint, particularly in Kerala’s coastal belt.

–IANS

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