Violence & Warning in Neyveli protest

NLC is a thermal power plant operating at Neyveli. Land was acquired from nearby villages for the company's mining operations.

The works for that have been completed and now the NLC administration is engaged in the construction of the pipeline. But in the acquired land, the former owners of the land continue to farm. Currently, the farmers are protesting against the NLC administration to install pipelines in the cultivated lands.

In this situation, the Patali  Makkal Katchi, led by its leader Anbumani, besieged the NLC yesterday and staged a protest. At that time, the police held a discussion with the PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and advised to disperse.

But Anbumani refused to leave and the police arrested him. Due to this, there was a push and pull between the PMK people and the police. Also, the PMK protested against the arrest of Anbumani and engaged in violence by smashing the vehicles of the police. 20 people including civilians and police were injured in stone pelting. The police had to chase away the protesters by splashing water and firing guns into the sky to issue a warning.

All this should be avoided. The police are handling the protest very carefully. Immediately, DGP Shankar Jiwal rushed to Neyveli to investigate and consoled the injured in person. It is the opinion of the public that there should not have been violence in the protest led by Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, who is interested in finding solutions to social problems.

You can protest peacefully. The government also allows it. Generally, if there is a protest led by the leaders of any party, it is usual for the police to arrest them. They will be disposed of and released in the evening. Similarly, they were arrested in the Neyveli protest. But the PMK members resorted to violence. This is a false precedent.

That is why ``violence is condemnable.' Problems should be resolved by talking. It is condemnable that the protest against NLC turned violent. Strict action will be taken against those who disturb public peace. The government has a duty to maintain law and order. Minister Thangam Tennarasu immediately warned that the government will not be silently looking at the deliberate creation of violence.

North Zone IG Kannan, who gave an interview to the media, warned, "Protest can be done in a peaceful manner, but strict action will be taken if we resort to violence." Therefore, from now on, whatever the struggle is, it should be done in a moral way, whichever party is conducting it, whichever leader is leading it. Leaders must keep the protesters under their control so that violence does not escalate. That would be the democratic way. That is what the people of Tamil Nadu would like.

Violence never wins!