Rajinikanth Summoned Over Comment On 2018 Anti-Sterlite Protests

NewsBharati 21-Dec-2020 18:13:52 PM

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New Delhi, December 21: The judicial commission investigating the Thoothukudi police firing incident has summoned Superstar Rajinikanth over his remark that "antisocial elements infiltrated protests" at Sterlite plant in which 13 people were killed.

The commission has summoned him to appear in person on January 19, 2021. The summoning order has been issued by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan, head of the judicial commission investigating the incident.

The violence at the Sterlite factory in Tuticorin had taken place on May 22-23, 2018, as protesters, demanded the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite plant in the district over pollution issues. 13 people were killed in the open firing while several policemen were also injured during the protests.

The 70-year-old actor made a controversial statement about the police opening fire at anti-Sterlite protesters when he came to visit the victims during May 2018. He claimed anti-social elements for the anti-Sterlite protests and had asked the state government to "come down hard" on them.

During talking to the reporters, the actor said “If people go out and start protests for everything, then entire Tamil Nadu will become a graveyard.”

The superstar faced severe criticisms from people for toeing the line of the government and the opposition too targeted the actor turned politician over the same. Following which, the actor had expressed regret. "I regret if I had hurt anyone," he had said, without explaining or withdrawing the "anti-social" remark.

This is the second time the commission summons Rajinikanth for an inquiry. However, he sought exemption from personal appearance and agreed to provide written submission claiming that it would cause inconvenience to the general public.

The state government had formed the commission, headed by retired High Court Judge Aruna Jagadeesan in 2018, to probe the violence at the Sterlite Copper plant. Until now the commission has questioned 492 people over 20 phases of the investigation and has studied over 660 documents pertaining to the incident.