Chennai, May 2 (IANS): The police in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi have arrested over 100 workers of the Dalit political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) after they protested in front of the Thoothukudi district collectorate against the maintenance works at the Sterlite plant.

A large number of workers from both the outfits had gathered in front of the collectorate to protest against the permission granted to the Sterlite company to maintain its plant.

It may be noted that the company had approached the Supreme Court to grant permission to maintain its plant at Thoothukudi. The apex court had granted permission, following which the local people led by VCK and MDMK held protests before the collectorate against commencing maintenance works at the plant.

The police arrested the protesters as there was huge commotion before the collectorate.

The Sterlite copper smelting plant, a unit of Vedanta Limited, was shut down in 2018 after massive public protests against environmental violation by the plant.

On May 22 and 23, 2018, there were violent protests against the plant leading to pelting of stones on the police, who resorted to lathi charge before opening fire. Thirteen people had died in the police firing while several others were left injured.

The case relating to police firing is still in the court and the plant has been closed down since then.

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, in a recent interaction with civil service aspirants, had said that the Sterlite protests were totally foreign-funded, adding that the plant was forced to shut down following the police firing in which 13 people lost their lives.

The Governor was explaining to the civil service aspirants as to why the Government of India closely monitors foreign funding to NGOs in the country.