Palaniswami cracks down.
Tamil Nadu police on Monday evening arrested well-known environmental activist Piyush Manush for allegedly making inflammatory comments and provoking public against the proposed greenfield highway project connecting chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s native Salem with Chennai.
Manush has been at the forefront in opposing the proposed eight-lane Chennai-Salem highway project as well as the Salem airport expansion. His arrest comes following the arrest of Tamil actor Mansoor Ali Khan on Sunday for making inflammatory remarks against the eight-lane highway project, which has been facing stiff resistance from villagers in Salem and other districts.
Salem Deputy Superintendent of Police S. Baskaran told DNA that Manush was named in the first information report registered against Mansoor Ali Khan. He, however, refused share on what charge he was arrested. The actor, during his visit to Salem on May 33, had allegedly threatened violence if the highway project was implemented. Khan had visited the Mookaneri in Salem which was being maintained by Manush led non-governmental organisation. Manush was with Khan when he had allegedly made an inflammatory speech at Omallur.
Police picked up Manush during a vehicle check on Salem-Dharmapuri road on Monday and he had been taken to Omalur police station and an inquiry is underway. This is the second time Manush was being arrested in connection with a highway project. In 2016, he was arrested for protesting against the construction of a bridge at Muluvadi gate in Salem. Interestingly, highway ministry was held by Palaniswami on both the occasion in 2016 as well as now.
Despite stiff opposition from the farmers and political parties, the state government commenced land survey in Salem on Monday for the Rs 10,000 crore NHAI project which seeks to reduce the travel from Chennai to Salem from 6 hours 26 minutes to three hours 9 minutes. The highway passes through 159 villages in Salem, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram. The government plans to acquire 2791 hectares of land for the project.
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