Former AIADMK minister Udayakumar accused the DMK of deceptive practices in the Tamil Nadu tungsten mining contract issue, claiming the central government’s recent clarification has exposed the ruling party’s duplicity.
Speaking to the press, he said: “There was confusion surrounding the tungsten issue, including questions about the Tamil Nadu government’s actions, whether the public was being misled, and what Chief Minister Stalin and the central government had to say. Now, the central government has provided clarity.
Yesterday, the central government issued a statement recommending a review of the tungsten project. On September 14, 2021, geological data for tungsten deposits in Melur, South Street, and Muthuveelpatti regions were handed over to the Tamil Nadu government. At that time, the authority to auction critical minerals, including tungsten, rested with the state government. Despite this, the DMK did nothing during the 10 months leading up to the tender process. AIADMK leader and opposition head Palaniswami extensively exposed the DMK’s deception in the Assembly, but Chief Minister Stalin avoided providing proper explanations, resorting to vague responses instead.
For the past nine years, the Tamil Nadu government held the authority to auction minerals but did not act on it. On December 6, the Union Mines Secretary wrote to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, seeking details about three mineral blocks, including tungsten.
The state’s Commissioner of Geology and Mining noted that 10% of the Nayakkarpatty area is ecologically sensitive. Despite this, the Tamil Nadu government raised no objections to auctioning the mineral blocks.
This reveals the DMK’s full involvement in depriving people of their rights regarding the tungsten issue. Their actions amount to a deceptive drama against the public,” Udayakumar concluded.