NEW DELHI, Dec. 5 -- The world witnessed one of the worst episodes of human rights violation when attacks were unleashed on hundreds of fisherfolk at Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram in the southern tip of Kerala; and it happened barely two weeks before the Human Rights Day on December 10.

The epicentre of violence was where the Adani Port is coming up, threatening the livelihood of tens of thousands of fishers. The port is showcased as a harbinger of development. But studies, reports, research and independent analysis by experts do not support this claim. They point to the perils to the coast and its sweeping adverse impact on the life of those who solely depend on it. The argument on development is a story mired in controversies.

Shri...