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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today defended the brutal police action against protesters who were asking for the closure of the Sterlite smelter plant in Thoothukudi. He said that the police acted in self-defence and that anti-social elements attacked them in the guise of the agitation. 12 people were killed in police firing on May 22 and 23.
“Some anti-social elements intruded into the agitation (against Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi) on May 22 and attacked police and torched police vehicles. Under tense situation, police resorted to firing, which was not pre-plannned,” said Chief Minister Palaniswami, defending police action against protesters.
“Some political parties and leaders had misguided the agitators against Sterlite. Opposition parties were instigating innocent people to agitate,” he said in a series of tweets in response to criticism from various quarters on police firing and violence in which 12 protesters were killed in the last two days. “When someone hits you, you naturally tend to defend yourselves. So on such situations, no one acts in a pre-planned manner,” he said.
“State government continues to respect views of people on Sterlite issue. Thoothukudi administrators met agitators 14 times about government stand. State government has been taking steps to close down Sterlite plant, through legal means. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board did not renew license for Sterlite,” he said.
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