Leader of Opposition and DMK's working President MK Stalin on Tuesday called the government's order to close the Sterlite copper smelter in Thoothukudi as an eyewash and a drama.
"It is like (the government) is telling (the company) to go to court and get the relief," Stalin told reporters on Tuesday.
If the decision had been taken before the killing of 13 people, the government's intentions could have been appreciated, he said, after chairing a meet of lawmakers ahead of the assembly tomorrow.
Stalin also questioned why CM Edappadi K Palaniswami did not take any action against the DGP, DIG and other senior officers for the police firing. He also stated that this issue will be taken up in the assembly tomorrow.
He mentioned that the order of closure of the copper plant was not a cabinet decision but a government order.
"You should know this is a government order of the Pollution Control Board," Mr Stalin said, according to an NDTV report
The closure of the plant in 2013 too was an eyewash he said. It was later reopened after the Pollution Control Board brought out a report stating that the unit was safe.
Anticipating that the Thoothukudi firing incident will be raised on the first day of the assembly, security has been beefed up around the secretariat, assembly complex, according to a report in The Hindu.
Following the government order, the Thoothukudi smelter was immediately sealed by the authorities. Meanwhile, several prominent figures welcomed the move.
Superstar Rajinikanth said that the move was a 'victory' and was dedicated to the people who died in the police firing.
Kamal Haasan took to social media and said, "All political parties should humble themselves before this victory of the people; salute the martyrs and learn from them."
MDMK Chief Vaiko said that the AIADMK government decided to seal the plant to avoid the people's ire.