Days after announcing boycott of the Tamil Nadu Assembly until permanent closure of Vedanta's copper unit in Thoothukudi, DMK working president M.K. Stalin dared Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami for a debate on the issue in the legislature.
“We are ready for a whole day debate in the assembly, is the chief minister ready?” Stalin said in a statement.
Stalin, who is the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, said he and his party legislators were ready to debate all aspects including issuance of Government Order as per a Cabinet decision for the closure. Stalin also said and who was responsible for setting up of the copper plant at the port city of Thoothukudi.
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Stalin's statement came on a day when Palaniswami in the assembly sought to turn the tables on the DMK, claiming that the main opposition party had allotted land for the expansion of the copper plant in Thoothukudi district when it was in power in 2006.
On May 29, Stalin announced boycott of the assembly till the permanent closure of the Sterlite plant alleging that the Government Order issued for the closure was an eyewash.
Referring to Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam's remarks in the assembly on Thursday that DMK members walked out of the House on their own and there was no bar on them resuming their democratic duty, Stalin, with a rider, said his party was ready for it.
“If a comprehensive GO was issued after a Cabinet meet and a policy decision taken for a permanent closure, DMK members will continue participating in the House proceedings,” Stalin said.