Chennai, June 4: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Monday said the Thoothukudi police are arresting only those persons who indulged in arson and violence on May 22.
Speaking in the assembly, he noted that Tamil Nadu "is the only state witnessing large number of protests in the country" and "protection is given to the people to such an extent".
Palaniswami said permission and protection is given to genuine protestors who want to serve the people or secure their rights from the government.
He said there are sufficient photographic evidence about anti-social elements throwing petrol bombs, setting vehicles on fire and carrying logs during the May 22 protests by the anti-Sterlite Copper smelter plant movement members in Thoothukudi.
"We are showing such persons as anti-social elements and not the general public," Palaniswami said.
He said police are arresting those anti-social elements only with proper evidence.
He also assured the House that action will be taken against those officials who were wrong, based on the report and recommendations of the one-person inquiry commission headed by retired High Court Judge into May 22 violence in Thoothukudi.
In a statement, Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Valliammal who died due to burn injuries in a hospital after the bus in which she was travelling was set on fire on May 25 by some anti-social elements.
Valliammal was admitted to a hospital and died on May 31.
Palaniswami said the bus was set on fire following the violence and police firing in Thoothukudi on May 22.
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Mirzapur: A feast hosted by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Bind in Mirzapur’s Karsada turned unruly after guests were allegedly served mutton gravy without any meat. The situation escalated when a youngster slapped the server, accusing him of deception.
The incident reportedly began when a guest, suspicious of being served only gravy, confronted the server. The altercation soon involved other attendees, leading to chaos and forcing many to leave. Senior BJP members and locals eventually intervened to defuse the situation.
Videos from the event showed guests leaving with food packets, while the injured server was seen leaving on his motorcycle.
Bind, who was attending a public meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath in Majhawan, declined to comment on the matter. Questions were also raised about the event being held during the model code of conduct.
Umashankar Bind, a representative of the MP, claimed the disturbance was caused by intoxicated individuals who entered the venue uninvited. He added that the guests had mostly finished dining by 8:30 PM, and the troublemakers fled before their identities could be confirmed.
Bind, who previously served as an MLA from Majhawan, won the Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 elections. The bypoll for his vacated assembly seat has BJP fielding Suchismita Maurya, a former winner from the constituency.