Fresh attempts to disrupt people’s protests, 're-establish' Sterlite unit in Tamil Nadu

By Vetrivel Chezhian*

Advertisements of the murderous Vedanta Sterlite Corporation have been appearing for the past few days in newspapers and television.
“Strike is towards Destruction, Scholarships awarded to Tuticorin children, Green Tuticorin – 1.25 lakh trees planted” are advertised.
Sterlite Vedanta Corporation has been involved in various crimes like operating without permission, direct burial of hazardous waste in the soil and not creating a green belt for many years. This was revealed during the hearing of the case against the Sterlite plant by the Madras High Court.
Sterlite company and Tamil Nadu police jointly fired and severely suppressed the people in Tuticorin who protested against Sterlite issue.
Close to five years after the firing, anti-people campaign in support of the Sterlite plant has been continuing till now, justifying the firing and insisting on reopening the Sterlite plant.
But till now, the Tuticorin District Police has banned anyone from speaking against the Sterlite plant. The Tuticorin police had also told them that not to talk about Aruna Jagadeesan’s statement in the recent protest held by the Indian Democratic Youth Association. Thus, the police have made it a condition that no one should speak against Sterlite during the demonstrations and protests in Tuticorin.
But in Tuticorin, continuous campaigns are going on in favour of Sterlite. The police never stopped it. Instead the police encourages them.
In this situation, “we will act according to the final report of the CBI investigation”, says Tuticorin District Collector. In the CBI’s chargesheet, it has been recorded that the martyrs who fought were erroneous. The people of Tuticorin tore up the CBI’s chargesheet demanding that the CBI’s investigation should be discarded.
On behalf of the United Anti-Sterlite People’s Federation, a special law should be enacted to remove Sterlite permanently, the murderers should be arrested and criminal action should be taken against them.It is in this situation that the people are constantly fighting to take criminal action, and advertisements are being given by Sterlite in the media.

The Tuticorin District Police has banned anyone from speaking against the Sterlite plant

There is a need to strongly condemns the anti-people media for publishing advertisements of Vedanta Sterlite Corporate Company, which has been doing injustice to the people and the land of Tuticorin.

Also, a protest insisting that a special law should be passed to remove Sterlite permanently, and the murderers of the shooting should be arrested and prosecuted is to be held on December 12. In order to disrupt this, a person claiming to be Vijayakumar from People’s Power spoke inappropriately to Prof Fatima Babu. In that conversation, he falsely claimed that People’s Power was working with the Maoist organization.
Sterlite Vedanta itself has planned and organized such a person to disrupt the people’s protest.
A few years ago Sterlite stooges published a fake press report criticizing Fatima Babu in the name of People’s Power. No action has been taken so far on the complaint filed against this by the police.
All the above incidents are an attempt to disrupt the people’s protests and re-establish the Sterlite plant. It is a well-known fact that the government and Tamil Nadu police are helping this effort of Vedanta Sterlite Corporation.
The government should immediately take action against the Sterlite Vedanta Company and its supporters who are continuously disrupting law and order.
Let the struggle against Vedanta Sterlite Company, which destroyed Tuticorin soil and people’s livelihood, win!
---
*State secretary, People’s Power, Tamil Nadu

Comments

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Overriding India's constitutional sovereignty? Citizens urge PM to reject WHO IHR amendments

By A Representative A group of concerned Indian citizens, including medical professionals and activists, has sent an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reject proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) before the ratification deadline of July 19, 2025.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Search This Blog