Madurai: A case has been registered against approximately 5,000 farmers and women from 40 villages in Melur and its surrounding areas for participating in a large-scale rally opposing the Tungsten mining project in Nayakkarpatti village.The protestors, including farm workers and women, marched nearly 25 kilometers from Narasingampatti village on the Tiruchirappalli-Madurai national highway to the Tallakulam Head Post Office. Their primary demand was for the Central government to cancel its decision to allow Tungsten mining, citing concerns over the project’s potential environmental and social impact.
According to a report, the Tallakulam police filed the case under two sections for alleged violation of permit restrictions. However, State Law Minister S. Regupathy refuted AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s claim that the protest lacked permission, confirming that the police had indeed authorized the rally.
For over a month, villagers have been protesting against the Centre’s decision to allocate 5,000 acres of land across ten villages in Melur taluk for Tungsten mining to Hindustan Zinc Limited. Their agitation has garnered widespread attention, culminating in a unanimous resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in December 2024, urging the Central government to withdraw the mining proposal.
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Permission is mandatory: CM
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin emphasized that prior permission is mandatory for conducting protests and demonstrations. Addressing the Assembly, he stated that even ruling DMK members who held protests yesterday without approval faced legal action. The Chief Minister reiterated that protests must follow established protocols and warned of action against violations, irrespective of party affiliation.