AIADMK root cause for Tungsten mining project: Thennarasu

CHENNAI: Reiterating that the DMK government, under Chief Minister MK Stalin, would never allow anyone to take away even a fistful of sand from Madurai, State Minister Thangam Thennarasu stated that the AIADMK and its sole representative in the Rajya Sabha, M Thambidurai, were the ‘root cause’ of the Tungsten mining project in Madurai.

Thambidurai had expressed his support for the BJP-led Union Government’s Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2023, which effectively stripped the State of its rights over minerals under the guise of auctioning strategic minerals.

Thennarasu further stated that the opposition party was raising the issue for political gain.

The Minister’s sharp criticism came in response to AIADMK MLA VV Rajan Chellappa’s accusations that the DMK government’s lethargic approach had allowed the project to progress.

Chellappa had claimed that nearly one lakh people had marched for around 20 km (from Narasingampatti village to the Head Post Office in Madurai City) on Tuesday. This, he suggested, indicated that the people had lost confidence in the government, despite the CM’s assurances that his administration would not permit the project and the TN assembly passing a resolution against it.

An emotionally charged Thennarasu vehemently refuted these charges and emphasised that the DMK regime had acted promptly when the Union Government introduced the Bill.

The State had registered its strong protest against the Bill, which sought to remove the state’s rights under the pretext of auctioning strategic minerals. DMK MPs had also fiercely opposed the Bill in Parliament, while AIADMK MP Thambidurai had supported it, leading to the current situation.

Deputy Leader of Opposition RB Udhayakumar, in the absence of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, defended his party’s MP as Chief Minister Stalin intervened, stating that it was indeed a fact that AIADMK MP Thambidurai had supported the Bill. He pointed out that there was ample evidence to prove this and challenged Udhayakumar to refute it.

The CM also backed Thennarasu’s pointed remarks, asserting that the minister was defending the government and clarifying matters, as AIADMK MLA Chellappa had claimed that the people were losing faith in the administration. Legislators T Velmurugan (Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi), R Arul (PMK), and M Chinnadurai (CPM) also spoke during the call attention motion, demanding that the TN government intervene to halt the project to protect the livelihoods of farmers in the district.