Sterlite violence : HC stays construction of new copper smelter
Chennai, May 23 (IBNS) : The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday stayed the construction of a new copper smelter, a day after the protest demanding the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, turned violent, with the death of at least 11 protestors in police firing, reports said.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry asked the Tamil Nadu Government to provide details of the incident at Tuticorin where 11 people were killed in police firing during a protest against the Vedanta group's Sterlite Copper plant over pollution concerns, media reports said.
The state Government, which faces widespread criticism over the police firing, has appointed on Tuesday retired Judge Aruna Jagadeesan as head of the one-member inquiry committee.
Thirty other people were injured as a mob of 20,000 people went on a rampage demanding the copper unit be shut down since it has been polluting the area.
Lashing it out at the state Government for the police action, DMK working president MK Stalin posed several questions, while one of his party leaders compared the incident with that of Jalianwallabagh.
"Who ordered the police firing on protestors? Why were automatic weapons used to disperse the crowd and under what law is this permitted? Why were rubber/ plastic bullets or other means NOT used to avoid fatal injuries? Why was no warning given before firing?” Stalin tweeted.
Calling Tamil Nadu a "fascist regime" and a "police state", DMK leader Sarvanan said, "A recent survey shows that maximum protests happen in TN. That's because of the inefficiency of the government. This is a Jallianwallah Bagh type of massacre. The government should pack up and go".
Congress president Rahul Gandhi had earlier called the police action "state-sponsored terrorism"
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