Farmers Movement Archive

TN CM Stalin announces dropping of cases against protesters

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Thursday announced that all the cases filed against people for protesting will be withdrawn. The cases filed by the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government include those related to protests against the Chennai-Salem expressway, Kudankulam nuclear power plant, hydrocarbon extraction projects, and the three new farm laws passed last year.Stalin, who made the announcement on the last day of the current assembly session, said the cases were being withdrawn to uphold the rights of the protesters and protect the freedom of expression. He also announced ₹1,000 crore for temple renovation in the state.Activists say over 10,000 cases were registered against protestors across five districts in Tamil Nadu over the protests against the Salem-Chennai expressway alone. “We welcome the government dropping cases against us, but this is not enough,” said A Chandramohan, state secretary, All India Kisan Mahasabha.Also Read | Chennai nurse, first case of Delta Plus variant in TN, has recoveredHe asked the government to pass a resolution in the assembly insisting that the central government scrap this project. “Tamil Nadu revenue department is the local authority for the land acquisition process. Without its support, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) cannot implement it.”In December 2020, the Supreme Court upheld the land acquisition notifications for the expressway partially allowing appeals of the Union government and the NHAI.Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi this month in Delhi and sought the scrapping of several centrally sponsored schemes and projects including the Salem-Chennai expressway. Stalin has announced a resolution that will be passed against the farm laws and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the budget session of the assembly scheduled in July.On June 13, Stalin wrote to Modi saying no hydrocarbon projects should be taken up in the protected agriculture zone in the interests of the agrarian community and the ecology of the region.Stalin earlier ordered the withdrawal of most of the cases against anti-Sterlite protestors on the third anniversary in May of the police firing that killed 13 civilians. The civilians were protesting in Thoothukudi district against the Sterlite facility. The DMK government has also decided to provide no-objection certificates to those arrested during the protest for pursuing higher education and jobs.The previous AIADMK government, before the assembly elections, dropped a majority of cases against anti-CAA protestors, Covid-19 lockdown violators, and pro-jallikattu activists. A few of these protests were supported by the DMK when it was in the opposition.

Hindustan Times

24-06-2021

India