MADURAI: DMK working president M K Stalin has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to implement projects disastrous to Tamil Nadu’s environment because he did not like the people of the state opposing Hindi and standing up for their rights.
He was speaking at the launch of MDMK leader Vaiko’s ten-day ‘anti-neutrino’ march which was attended by leaders of several parties. Projects like the neutrino which could sound the deathknell of southern districts, Sterlite expansion in Tuticorin and hydrocarbon exploration in Pudukottai were being implemented to destroy Tamil Nadu, he said. The rights of the people should be retrieved. DMK continued to raise its voice for the people for the sake of social justice and the state’s autonomy, he said.
The BJP government at the Centre was trying to avoid setting up the Cauvery Management Board defying the apex court. ``We have been demanding that the 50 AIADMK MPs should resign and that the 89 MLAs of the DMK were also ready to do so for the cause, but no effective measures have been taken,’’ he said. He claimed that even late President A P J Abdul Kalam had stated that the neutrino project was dangerous. “The anti-neutrino march led by Vaiko will create awareness among the public and should be an eye opener for the government,’’ he said.
A red and yellow flag containing the symbols of the ancient south Indian dynasties like fish for Pandiyas, tiger for Cholas and the bow and arrow for the Cheras was handed over to Vaiko by Stalin for the march. “BJP stopped the Sethusamudram project with claims that the bridge of Ramar was on the route. The designated site for the neutrino project is a site declared as heritage and eco sensitive zone by Unesco. How can they implement it here?’’ he asked.
peaking at the event, Vaiko said that though late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had opposed the neutrino project, the central government was now saying that it would secure the clearance from the state government. ``If that it is done, the state government will be doing grave injustice to the people of Tamil Nadu and the chief minister and the deputy chief minister will not be allowed to enter any part of the state,’’ he said.
G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal said that the neutrino project may by harmless for the first five years, but after that the neutrino bundles which would be brought from other laboratories in the world would be used to detect atomic bombs. This would be dangerous and highly penetrative and spell danger for the environment and the people. Tamil Nadu Congress president S Thirunavukkarasar, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, executive director of People’s Watch, Henry Tiphagne among others spoke.