‘Deputy CM’s proposed visit a farcical drama’

Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s proposed visit to Thoothukudi on Monday, six days after the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters, is nothing but a farcical drama, DMK working president M.K. Stalin said here on Sunday.

Addressing mediapersons, he said even though the Chief Minister failed to visit the riot-hit town, the Deputy Chief Minister, who hailed from southern Tamil Nadu and had occupied the Chief Minister’s chair in the past, should have visited Thoothukudi soon after the violence. “The Assembly session is commencing on Tuesday. When we raise questions and criticise the government over the [police] firing, they need to have something to say, which is why they are now planning visits by the Deputy CM and other Ministers,” he alleged.

Pointing to the tough questions the Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur C. Raju faced from the affected families when he visited the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital, he said, “He could not visit the affected areas and meet the public. He only conducted a review [meeting] with the officials.”

Mr. Stalin also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the police firing. “Tamil Nadu is a part of India and Mr. Modi is India’s PM. I am increasingly having doubts whether he is the PM of a foreign country,” he said. Later in the day, he demanded that an urgent resolution be passed by the Cabinet to shut down the Sterlite plant.

Stating that the PM should have ideally visited Thoothukudi or at least sent Union Ministers there, he said Mr. Modi had not even bothered to express his condolences to the bereaved families.