Opposition leader MK Stalin on Monday said that he was ready to ‘spend a lifetime in jail’ protesting against Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s ‘review meetings’, if it continued.
Stalin said he would not stop his party’s ‘Black Flag Protests’ despite the Raj Bhavan order on Sunday stating that criminal action would be taken against those who protest against the Governor, according to a report in The Hindu.
Regarding Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s statement that people were willing to give up their land for the Salem-Chennai ‘Green Corridor’, Stalin said that he would actually believe the CM if he had gone and visited the people to understand their views on the issue.
“But he had flown to Salem and told reporters that people were ready to give land for the project,” the DMK leader was quoted as saying.
However, Stalin also said that the DMK was not against the ‘Green Corridor’ project and the DMK only wanted the government to speak to the affected parties whose land would be taken.
Stalin said that he had even suggested setting up an expert committee to think of alternative routes for the expressway but the ruling party is only interested in ‘commission’ as they know that they won’t hold office for long.
“The government’s aim is not to create better road facilities or smooth flow of traffic,” he told The Hindu.
On Sunday, Purohit's office warned that anybody trying to overawe the Governor's office will be dealt with sternly.
In a statement issued in Chennai, the Raj Bhavan said the Governor would continue his visits to districts in the coming months and the Office of Governor was protected under Section 124 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Any attempt to overawe or assault or use criminal force would be dealt with as per the law, it said.
Reacting to the statement, Stalin said the Governor had threatened the DMK and was also indulging in direct politics which was condemnable.