Even as residents of various villages, members of Hindu Makkal Katchi and members of the self-help groups on Monday submitted petitions to the Collector in support of the re-opening of Sterlite Copper that remains closed since May 2018, police detained for a while 43 SHG members as they forcibly tried to enter the Collectorate to submit their petition.
As the Hindu Makkal Katchi, led by its president Arjun Sampath, residents of various villages and the members of women SHGs had gathered near the Collectorate on Monday to submit petitions seeking the re-opening of the sealed Sterlite Copper, 4-tier security arrangement, led by ASP Chandeesh, was put in place around the Collectorate. All the petitioners were allowed to enter the Collectorate after an intense frisking.
When Mr. Arjun Sampath came to the Collectorate along with his supporters to submit the petition, the police stopped him at the entrance and allowed him and only a few of his party office-bearers to submit the petition to Collector K. Senthil Raj.
Speaking to reporters after submitting the petition, Mr. Arjun Sampath said “rumours” against the Sterlite Copper were being spread in a sustained and methodical manner to ensure the permanent closure of the unit even as a few thousand workers and the labourers had lost their livelihood after the copper manufacturing unit was closed down and India was forced to import copper from foreign countries, which had jacked up the prices of several industrial components.
“The Tamil Nadu Government should hence allow the reopening of the Sterlite Copper,” Mr. Arjun Sampath said.
On behalf of Thamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, the party cadre led by Thoothukudi central district’s secretary Lawrence submitted a petition with similar plea.
When members of a few voluntary organisations and the self-help groups tried to enter the Collectorate to submit the petition, they were stopped by the police at the entrance as all of them wanted to meet the Collector to submit the petition. Even though the police said they would allow only their representatives, they were firm in their decision of meeting the Collector that forced the police to detain 43 of them including 39 women, who were released later.
However, the women SHG members said that they would submit the petition repeatedly until the Sterlite Copper was opened.
