AMN / NEW DELHI
The National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India today severely condemned the ‘brutal killing’ 10 people, including a 17-year-old girl in police firing during a massive peaceful rally to the district collectorate taken out demanding the closure of Sterlite Copper, a Vedanta group copper smelter unit, in the port town of Thoothukudi in south Tamil Nadu on May 22.
The rally, in which thousands of local people participated under the banner of ‘Anti Sterlite Movement’, is the part of the two-month old agitation demanding closure of the unit, which was not approved by the State Pollution Board. The day marked the 100th day of the latest round of protests against the company, which has been accused of being responsible for air and water pollution leading to health hazards.
‘The state and district leaders of CPI led by state secretary R Mutharasan and Alaga Muthu Pandian, district secretary have rushed to the spot. The National Secretariat demands the resignation of the AIADMK on moral grounds as well as a detailed enquiry into the incident” party said in a statement.
It is a well known fact that Vedanta Group enjoys full patronage from the RSS-BJP led Modi government which helped the group expands the unit without the approval of the State Pollution Board.
Those killed and injured should be adequately compensated.