Stalin’s nod for Sterlite expansion cause for 2018 trouble, claims CM

MADURAI: DMK president MK Stalin was the sole reason behind anti-Sterlite rally unrest of 2018 in Thoothukudi, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after reviewing COVID containment measures in the district, the Chief Minister hit out at the Opposition leader and said, it was Stalin, who gave nod for the second phase expansion of Sterlite in the Assembly during DMK regime and also announced funds of Rs 1,500 crore towards the expansion project. Despite everything, Stalin is shifting the blame on the AIADMK government on issues concerning Sterlite, he added.

Calling Stalin, a liar, the Chief Minister said that the nod for expansion was in the Assembly records and a protest against Sterlite would not have occurred if Stalin refused approval for the expansion project.

Responding to DMK president’s fake farmer charges against him, Chief Minister Palaniswami said Stalin knew nothing about farmers and hence he need not call anyone fake. “I know what farmers are like and what does he (Stalin) know about them,” the Chief Minister asked. Mocking Stalin further, Palaniswami said, “I have agriculture as a profession, what does Stalin has got?”

Listing out AIADMK government’s achievement in water management and sharing, the Chief Minister asked whether

DMK has anything to its credit.

Further, the Chief Minister said 2,000 mini clinics would come up in a month’s time to provide medical assistance to the poor and needy. Each of the clinics would have one doctor, nurse and assistant. Earlier, he inaugurated the state of the art ‘linear accelerator’ facility at a cost of Rs 16 crore and Central Research Lab at Rs 71.61 lakh at Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital.