Foreign-funded NGOs and Environmentalists’ dislike for India’s development is not a hidden secret anymore. Big MNCs and other self-interest groups directly or indirectly fund these NGOs and Environmentalists to halt development projects in India. These so-called opportunist environmentalists never give up their own personal comfort but expect others to give up their basic living. These anti-development forces are very active in different parts of the country and halting many development projects worth lakhs and crore which would only ameliorate the lives of the poor. They were completely exposed during the anti-Sterlite protest. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami has learned his lesson and now launched a crackdown against these anti-development forces of the state. Earlier he clamped down heavily on the cadres of Naam Tamilar Party, who were allegedly behind instigating the violence during the anti-Sterlite protest.
And now he has taken a strong stand against those who are opposing the expansion of Salem airport and proposed a plan for eight-lane Chennai-Salem expressway. Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami has left no stone unturned to ensure things go smoothly this time. Tamil Nadu Police arrested environmental activist Piyush Manush and actor Mansoor Ali Khan who had been going to the villages inciting the villagers to stand against the developmental projects like the expressway. They also delivered provocative speeches. Khan reportedly went to the extent of saying that he would not hesitate to kill the officials if they continued with the project. He said, “If the eight-lane project is implemented, then I will kill eight people and go to jail”. Piyush Manush has been arrested under the section 153a of IPC (promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony). Both are now arrested and thrown behind the bars. Piyush Manush is a regular offender, in 2016 he tried to terminate work on a bridge at Mulluvadi gate in Salem. AIADMK spokesperson D Jayakumar said, “All should abide by the law. The government will not remain quiet if somebody talks in a way that may incite or propagate violence”. Proposed expressway according to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will ‘eliminate bottlenecks and reduce travel time between Chennai and Salem’.
The exit of two mainstream stalwart leaders of Tamil politics- Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha, created a vacuum in state’s politics. Both Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha can be criticized on many grounds, but one thing they ensured throughout their governance is that they never allowed anti-development elements to halt any development projects. They left no stone unturned to make sure development works go smoothly. Despite rampant corruption, the industry and development flourished in the state. The state was seen as the perfect development model which other states should also follow, but since the death of Jayalalitha and dormancy of Karunanidhi, things have changed a lot. Groups with vested interests and NGOs have hijacked the state completely. But now it seems CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami is no more going to deal with such anti-development elements lightly. He has started taking strong action against such rogue elements and is trying to make sure that everything is back on track.