THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala continued his tirade against Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma in the deep-sea fishing issue. He revealed that when his Aishwarya Kerala Yatra reached Alappuzha, Jackson Pollayil, who heads the trade union wing of a fisheries organisation, told him about the deep-sea fishing issue. Opposition leader said the chief minister is angry with him and asked whether anyone would come and demand the cancellation of their Rs 5,000 crore contract.

‘Jackson Pollayil told me about the deep sea fishing controversy during the listening program of the Aishwarya Kerala Yatra in Alappuzha. He said the agreement was signed for 400 trawlers and five mother ships and this would create a major crisis in the coastal region. He expressed concern on it. I responded that no one knew anything about this. He said he had the video footages of it and would give it to the media. I then inquired about the matter. EMCC never visited me. Former private secretary did not give me any information. Will the EMCC come and ask me to cancel their Rs 5,000 crore project,’ asked Chennithala.

This government had decided to cheat the state’s fishing community and sell the seas of Kerala. The sentiments of the children of the sea will reflect in the election. The opposition prevented each and every secret move of the government. He said all secret plans of the chief minister were prevented due to such an opposition.

The government is playing hide and seek in the EMCC controversy. Fisheries Minister J Mercikutty Amma seeing the EMCC file twice is refuting the claims of the government. The fisheries minister who said that she had not seen the file should give a reply. The minister has been lying from the beginning. The chief minister is also lying. Chennithala said that he is challenging the chief minister to release the file.