Disappearance of environmentalist "suggests" police role against anti-Sterlite protestors

Counterview Desk
In a letter to Tamil Nadu chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, eminent citizens have expressed serious concern over the mysterious disappearance of environmental and human rights defender S Mugilan of Tamil Nadu, saying, he is "a target of attack by the state apparatus."
An articulate and outspoken activist advocating against sand mining, the dangers of nuclear power and industrial pollution, the letter says, Muligan's "abrupt disappearance and the silence of the Government of Tamil Nadu raise grave concerns about the state of civil liberties and human rights in Tamil Nadu, a state with a civil administration that once prided itself in being a cut above the rest."
The letter has been endorsed, among others, by Justice D Hariparanthaman, (Retd), Madras High Court, Chennai; Yogendra Yadav, President, Swaraj Party; Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court advocate; MG Devasahayam, IAS (Retd); Fatima, Anti Sterlite People's Movement, Thoothukudi; Kalpana Kannabiran, Council for Social Development, Hyderabad; R. Vaigai, Advocate, Chennai; Henri Tiphagne, People's Watch, Madurai; Maj Gen SG Vombatkere (Retd); Claude Alvares, Goa Foundation; K Kalpana, Academic, Chennai; and Medha Patkar, National Alliance of People's Movements.
Copies of the letter have been sent to Niranjan Mardy, additional chief secretary, home; Vijay Kumar, ADGP (Law & Order); C Sridhar, IGP (North Zone); Dr AK Viswanathan, commissioner, Chennai City Police; and superintendents of police, Kanchipuram and Villupuram, among others.

Text of the letter:

We are writing to you to ensure the safe return of Mugilan, an environmental rights activist who went missing at around midnight on 15 February. His disappearance barely half-a-day after highlighting the alleged role of senior police officers in the killings of 14 persons in a police action against anti-Sterlite protestors in Thoothukudi last May is deeply disturbing.
Mugilan has been an articulate and outspoken activist advocating against sand mining, the dangers of nuclear power and industrial pollution.
His abrupt disappearance and the silence of the Government of Tamil Nadu raise grave concerns about the state of civil liberties and human rights in Tamil Nadu, a state with a civil administration that once prided itself in being a cut above the rest.
We, express our deep concern and anxiety over Mugilan's safety, and urge the Government of Tamil Nadu and the state Police to ensure his safe return to his family.
Background
Mugilan addressed a press meet in Chennai on February 15, 2019 at around 11.30 AM regarding claims by the state that the killing of 14 persons by police firing on May 22, 2018, during an anti-Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi was prompted by arson and rioting by a section of the protestors.
During the press meet he released a report and video titled 'Sterlite: Hidden Truth', which presented publicly available CCTV and TV footage to highlight how the the police acting in collusion with the management of Sterlite Copper orchestrated the violence that was then used as an excuse to fire and kill protestors.
Mugilan also named senior police officers implicating them in the events that led to the violence and killings.
He was last seen by a few of his friends at Egmore Railway Station in Chennai.
This is not the first time that Mugilan has been a target of attack by the State apparatus. He, along with numerous others, have been falsely accused and accused in several cases of sedition for their role in the non-violent civil disobedience struggle against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli.
In 2012 when the protests against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant was at its peak, he was similarly abducted by the police on his way back from his home town and illegally detained for three days before being remanded to judicial custody in response to civil society pressure.
As we stand on the brink of climate catastrophe, people such as Mugilan who are advocating against environmentally degrading projects should be seen as voices of reason and wisdom, rather than as criminals. We urge the Government of Tamil Nadu to work in all seriousness to locate Mugilan and return him to his family.

Comments

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

'Condonation of war crimes against women and children’: IPSN on Trump’s Gaza Board

By A Representative The India-Palestine Solidarity Network (IPSN) has strongly condemned the announcement of a proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza and Palestine by former US President Donald J. Trump, calling it an initiative that “condones war crimes against children and women” and “rubs salt in Palestinian wounds.”

Gig workers hold online strike on republic day; nationwide protests planned on February 3

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers across the country observed a nationwide online strike on Republic Day, responding to a call given by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) to protest what it described as exploitation, insecurity and denial of basic worker rights in the platform economy. The union said women gig workers led the January 26 action by switching off their work apps as a mark of protest.

India’s road to sustainability: Why alternative fuels matter beyond electric vehicles

By Suyash Gupta* India’s worsening air quality makes the shift towards clean mobility urgent. However, while electric vehicles (EVs) are central to India’s strategy, they alone cannot address the country’s diverse pollution and energy challenges.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Whither space for the marginalised in Kerala's privately-driven townships after landslides?

By Ipshita Basu, Sudheesh R.C. In the early hours of July 30 2024, a landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India, killed 400 people. The Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Vellarimala and Chooralmala villages in the Western Ghats mountain range turned into a dystopian rubble of uprooted trees and debris.

Fragmented opposition and identity politics shaping Tamil Nadu’s 2026 election battle

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Tamil Nadu is set to go to the polls in April 2026, and the political battle lines are beginning to take shape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on January 23, 2026, marked the formal launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Addressing multiple public meetings, the Prime Minister accused the DMK government of corruption, criminality, and dynastic politics, and called for Tamil Nadu to be “freed from DMK’s chains.” PM Modi alleged that the DMK had turned Tamil Nadu into a drug-ridden state and betrayed public trust by governing through what he described as “Corruption, Mafia and Crime,” derisively terming it “CMC rule.” He claimed that despite making numerous promises, the DMK had failed to deliver meaningful development. He also targeted what he described as the party’s dynastic character, arguing that the government functioned primarily for the benefit of a single family a...

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Search This Blog