Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju faced embarrassing moments on Sunday when some of those injured in the police firing in Thoothukudi and their relatives confronted him on the police action and the government’s assurances on closing down Sterlite Copper, against which they have been protesting. Following this, Mr. Raju hurriedly left the ward at the Government Medical College Hospital.
As the Minister visited a ward to enquire about the patients, a woman asked him, “Has the Tamil Nadu government issued an official order [permanently] closing down Sterlite? Have you issued a legally binding order?” While Mr. Raju and district officials tried to assure her that the company would be shut down, she shot back, “Sir, you don’t try to again and again fool the people. If this had happened to your children, what would you have done? What has my son done (pointing to her injured son)? Don’t talk about humanitarianism. You only gave the orders [for firing]. Isn’t it?”