Opposition leader M.K. Stalin on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into the police firing on the anti-Sterlite protestors, saying that the officers who were originally assigned to maintain law and order in Thoothukudi were not present during the incident on May 22.
“Instead, the government used impersonators for firing and murdering the protesters. A conspiracy was hatched to target and kill 13 people and others who led the protest,” he alleged while interacting with reporters outside the Assembly.
“Deputy Collector Prasad had appointed nine officials to maintain law and order a day before the rally. But the officials were not in charge of the situation and impersonators were sent instead,” he claimed.
Mr. Stalin charged that the incident was a clear proof that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and DGP T.K. Rajendran had acted in favour of the Sterlite management.
“The Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe the incident will only be an eyewash. So I decided to raise the issue in the Assembly. But the Speaker did not allow me on the ground that the Chief Minister was not ready with a reply. So we staged a walkout,” said Mr. Stalin.
Asked about the Chief Minister’s argument that it was not fair to discuss the issue in the Assembly after the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Stalin said then there was no point in attending the Assembly.
“There are reports about involvement of impersonators. The commission is a fake set-up and we do not approve of it. We are for a CBI inquiry,” he said.