Thoothukudi
Cadre of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), led by its president, Thol. Thirumavalavan, staged a demonstration here on Monday demanding the closure of Sterlite Copper unit.
The VCK president, who spearheaded the agitation near Chidambara Nagar bus stop along Palayamkottai road, said considering the legitimate concerns of people, who are protesting against the unit’s functioning here, and respecting their feelings, the Central government should order its closure and the State government had to pressurise the Centre.
People had been staging a series of protests against this unit since effluents from the plant were affecting the environment and spreading cancer, he said. Though the issue was before court, the State government could make a policy decision stressing the need for the unit’s closure.
While talking to reporters, he said the State government should be held responsible for the murder of a Special Branch police constable near Nanguneri at the hands of illegal sand miners on Sunday night and sought the immediate arrest of murderers.
He also demanded the government to provide compensation of ₹ 1 crore to the victim’s family and also to offer government job for his family member.
On the NEET held recently, he said though the test was conducted smoothly, students before taking it, were subjected to mental agony in the name of frisking. Prior to taking the NEET, the aspirants were frisked as if they were terrorists and anti-nationals.
He sought explanation from the government as why exam centres were set up in other States, while adequate infrastructure is available in Tamil Nadu.
On having amended the SC / ST Act, which, he said, weakened the provisions of the Act, the Centre should take up the issue seriously with the Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court and promulgate an ordinance to protect the Dalits and their rights under the Act.
He said over the last five months, 57 murders in the southern districts occurred, especially in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, but the government, which is duty-bound to protect Dalits from such incidents of murder and abolish hiring criminal culture, was hesitating to provide compensation to families of murdered victims, he said.
