In a dramatic turn of events at the Fort St. George campus here on Thursday, DMK working president and the Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin staged a dharna near the Chief Minister’s chamber, claiming he was denied a chance to take up the Thoothukudi firing incident with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. He later courted arrest along with a few DMK and Congress MLAs following their dharna on Rajaji Salai.
Mr. Stalin and a few DMK MLAs arrived at the Secretariat ahead of the Assembly Business Advisory Committee meeting that was to be convened by Speaker P. Dhanapal at 11 a.m. Few minutes later, Mr. Stalin addressed the media that his party along with the Congress decided to boycott the meeting over the government’s inaction on the Thoothukudi firing incident.
The situation soon grew tense as Mr. Stalin and other DMK MLAs attempted to go to the Chief Minister’s chamber and staged dharna. Those present near the chamber and the policemen were caught unprepared as DMK members went about raising slogans against the government and urging Mr. Palaniswami to resign.
The police forcibly carried Mr. Stalin out of the Secretariat building through Gate No: 7, amidst sloganeering by DMK MLAs insisting on the Chief Minister’s resignation of the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Mr. Stalin and the MLAs then staged a dharna inside the Secretariat campus near the press vehicle parking area. Eventually, Mr. Stalin led the MLAs onto Rajaji Salai and joined a group of protesters.
They were detained around 12 p.m. Mr. Stalin and the MLAs were taken in a police van, even as a few hundred protesters attempted to block the vehicle.
‘Ready to face any case’
Speaking to reporters from the police van after his detention, Mr. Stalin said the protests would continue till the Chief Minister stepped down. “Death of 13 persons in police firing is unprecedented in the history of Tamil Nadu and the Chief Minister should take responsibility and step down,” he said.
When asked about the case registered over his visit to Thoothukudi hospital where promulgation orders were in place, Mr. Stalin said he was prepared to face any case.
“I’m willing to face any case. Even if the police are to use bullets against me, like the way they killed people there, I’m willing to take them with a brave heart,” Mr. Stalin said. He insisted on the resignation of Chief Minister, the Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran. DMK Principal Secretary Duraimurugan also called for the resignation of the Chief Minister and DGP.
He said the Opposition has called for a bandh on Friday.
Mr. Stalin alleged that the AIADMK government unleashed violence and atrocities against the anti-Sterlite protesters as it had received a bribe from the company. “We saw the police firing at people from atop a van as if they were sparrows and crows. The act has clearly proved that the government has received bribe from the Sterlite management,” he claimed.
He said the DMK and the Congress boycotted the Business Advisory Committee meeting since the Chief Minister refused to pay heed to the demand that DGP T.K. Rajendran should be removed from the post. “Before staging a walkout I asked the Chief Minister to step down. The government has just transferred the Thoothukudi Collector and Superintendent of Police but has not taken any action against them. The Chief Minister has also not bothered to visit the people in Thoothukudi,” he alleged.
He said the DMK and the Congress MLAs tried to meet the Chief Minister, but the police prevented them and subsequently removed the out of the Secretariat.
Why is Centre silent?
Asked why the Centre and the Union Home Ministry remained silent even after the death of 13 persons, he accused the BJP government of offering a protective cover to the AIADMK government, which was indulging in “collection, commission and corruption.”
Mr. Stalin also demanded immediate restoration of internet services in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari, as it had affected students and businesses.
