Sterlite plant: Ponnar links issue to PC

Radhakrishnan’s allegation came on a day when another BJP leader Subramanian Swamy charged that Chidambaram had links with the Vedanta group.

Radhakrishnan claimed that the BJP’s protests against Sterlite were as early as those held by MDMK general secretary Vaiko. He said even while the MDMK began agitations against the factory, he had held a fast demanding that the factory should not come up in Thoothukudi. “We were the first to protest and the ongoing agitations are fake,” he said. He added that the state government should conduct an enquiry to identify the reasons for the police firing and take suitable action. Lives of people could have been saved if the then Congress government at the Centre had blocked the setting up of such a company, he said.

Radhakrishnan termed the death of 12 people in the police firing as ‘unfortunate’ but did not condemn the police action. Barring the ruling AIADMK, the BJP was the only party which had not condemned the police firing.

Earlier, Subramanian Swamy, in his interview to TV channels, had alleged that Chidambaram had links with Sterlite and said the former union minister has not denied the allegations so far.

Meanwhile, DMDK leader Vijayakanth in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the AIADMK government has failed to establish law and order in Tamil Nadu. The Governor should decide whether the party has to continue in the state or should be dissolved, Vijayakanth said.

The Thamizhar Vazhvurimai Koottamaippu announced that it would hold a rally from Chepauk and lay siege to the Secretariat on May 24 demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.