Who issued order to fire at anti-Sterlite protesters: Stalin asks EPS

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday asked Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami as to who issued orders to fire at the protesters on the 100th day of the anti-Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi in the previous AIADMK regime.

Replying to the debate on demand for grants for the Home Department in the State Assembly, Stalin said, "The members of the House and the people of Tamil Nadu know in which regime the protesters were fired at and a commission led by a retired High Court judge was constituted to probe it. They also know in which regime action was taken on the incident.

"I would like to pose only one question to him (EPS). He will be listening (to my speech) from his room. Who issued orders to fire at the people who protested peacefully for 100 days. Why is the LoP not answering the question?"

"He (EPS) was neither interested in answering the question then (during his chief ministership) nor now. Our government is maintaining Law and Order in such a way that not one person has been shot dead," the CM remarked, suggesting that the police handling of Kaniyamur private school riot was proof of how a government must responsibly handle people's protest.

CB-CID probe unravelling crucial info in Kodanadu case: CM

Taking exception to EPS' statement that they would seek CBI probe into the Kodanadu case, the CM said, "If the evidences had been collected and safeguarded immediately after the crime and statements obtained in the previous AIADMK regime, the case could have been wrapped up faster."

"Culling out some information is getting delayed in the case due to the passage of many years. Nonetheless, some crucial information has been unearthed in the CBCID probe," the CM disclosed.

"On September 9, 2021, the LoP said that they do not object to investigating further in the Kodanadu case. On August 18, he questioned the need for doing further probe on the verge of closure of the case investigation. Now, he says, he will seek a CBI probe. How many contradictions? Why this stumbling?" the CM wondered.

Defending the appearance of DMK advocates in support of the Kodanadu case accused, and other case booked against journalist Mathew Samuel in the previous regime, the CM said, "When a bogus case is foisted against persons accusing a CM, advocates of a responsible opposition party like DMK offered legal assistance. How could the DMK remain a spectator when a chief minister tries to cover up a murder cum robbery in the bungalow of their former CM? CB-CID probe will reveal the real culprits in the Kodanadu case and who tried to divert without a fair investigation in the case."