Tungsten mining: CM Stalin slams BJP-led Centre, AIADMK

Madurai, Jan 26 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter M K Stalin on Sunday hit out at the Centre over the now annulled union government initiative of tungsten mining here and slammed the main opposition party AIADMK for supporting an amendment in Parliament on the matter that led to the auctioning move for mining, withdrawn later.

Addressing people in a function to felicitate him at Vallalapatti village in Madurai district for getting the mining proposal cancelled, Stalin said the BJP-led Centre attempted to initiate tungsten mining and it had been halted with the support of people's power and public knew the 'atrocious anti-people measures' of the union government.

Referring to the ongoing farmers' protest of 'march to Delhi,' he said a huge protest related to the now rescinded 3 farm laws, stretched to about 2 years. However, the protests against tungsten mining in Madurai have been a success within 3 months, and "the union government has bowed and cancelled it and the reason is the strong opposition showed by the people and the Tamil Nadu government and you should realise it. This is not an ordinary victory; this is huge." Outlining the efforts of the state government against tungsten mining, he said letters were sent to the Centre twice opposing the mining initiative. In November 2024, when Arittapatti grama sabha opposed the mining plan, Commercial Taxes Minister P Moorthy assured them that the state government would stop it.

Similarly, during protests by people and traders of Melur, Moorthy took part in the stir and assured them that the state government would pass a resolution against the mining initiative in the Assembly and reiterated the state's support to people. The CM said he wrote to PM Narendra Modi seeking scrapping of the mining proposal.

Stalin said the reason behind the tungsten mining initiative was an amendment by the Centre to the relevant law in Parliament and while the DMK and its allies opposed it vehemently, the AIADMK supported it.

"This was the starting point of the tungsten mining initiative," he said adding the amendment paved the way for Centre to go ahead with auctioning for mining minerals such as tungsten without the state government's consent.

At Arittapatti village, CM Stalin, recalling his assurance that tungsten mining would not be allowed till such time he remained in office, reiterated that his government would always stand behind the people.

Stalin said a resolution was passed in the Assembly on December 9, 2024, with the support of AIADMK, Left parties, PMK, VCK and IUML urging the Centre to annul the tungsten mining permission granted to Hindustan Zinc. The CM recalled that he had also said that in case the mining initiative appeared to fructify, he would not continue in his office.

People of Arittapatti, Vallalapatti, Kidaripatti, Narasingampatti, Nayakkarpatti, Chettiarpatti, Meenakshipuram and Mangulam in Madurai district visited him in Chennai on January 25 and thanked him and also invited him for the felicitation functions.

However, the CM said rather than praising him over the scrapping of mining initiative, it is the people who should be greeted, thanked and felicitated and referred to the pressure exerted by the people by way of protests against the project. "We have got victory," he said adding it was a win for the people and the state government.

Seeking people's support, he said: "In about a year and half, state Assembly election is going to be held and I know your decision in respect of the polls," he said apparently hinting that people would support the ruling DMK. People of villages including Vallalappatti and Arittapatti gave him a rousing reception on his arrival and gathered on both sides of the road to greet him.

State ministers including I Periyasamy, Moorthy and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, elected representatives and senior officials took part in the events. The union government days ago announced its decision to annul the auctioning for tungsten mining in Madurai district. PTI VGN VGN ROH