Kamal Haasan joins anti-Sterlite stir to seek plant closure

Kamla Haasan, the actor who recently founded Makkal Needhi Maiam party (MNM) in Tamil Nadu, on Sunday visited Kumarareddiyapuram in Thoothukudi district to join the people who have been protesting against Vedanta's copper smelter Sterlite near Turicorin for close to half a century now.

Kumarareddiyapuram residents have been demanding an immediate shutdown of the plant claiming it is hazardous to their health. The current outbreak of remonstrance has been going on for the past 48 days.

The actor-politician said his visit was not a publicity stunt. "My name is Kamal Haasan... For me being humane is more important than being an actor. I am a Tamilian first. I have not come here as a politician. I have not come here for publicity. I have had enough publicity already," he said, while addressing the protesters.

Haasan called the Sterlite unit's establishment an "injustice" to the people of Tuticorin. He said it "shows the cruel face of business... the greedy face of business".

"The lives of people are more important than the money from copper," he said, adding that the central and state governments had not heard the voice of the people and that "the people should make them hear now".

On March 31, Rajinikanth, another actor who has joined politics, took a dig at the ruling AIADMK over the smelter, saying the government was not responding to the protests by locals.

Sterlite replied to him on Twitter. "Dear @rajinikanth, we feel that incorrect and untrue information may have reached you about our operations in Thoothukudi. It is our hope that these #facts will give you the true picture and help develop a balanced opinion," @sterlite_copper tweeted.