Published 22:55 IST, February 4th 2020
Rajinikanth summoned by Tuticorin violence inquiry commission, asked to depose on Feb 25
Aruna Jagadeesan commission summoned Rajinikanth for his statement and to know what he knows about the violence and firing at the incident
Superstar Rajinikanth's comment after visiting Tuticorin had sparked a major controversy, as he had stated that the anti-social elements infiltrated into the protest and highjacked it, which led to the firing and the violence.
The anti-Sterlite copper smelting plant protest happened in the year 2018 in May. It went silently over three months and the violence broke out on the 100th day, where government properties were damaged and 13 people were killed in the police firing when the situation went out of control, which led to sharp criticism against the police and the government machinery.
The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami alleged it was antisocial elements that instigated the matter and disrupted the peaceful protests which were happening against the copper smelting plant.
Rajinikanth visited Tuticorin to meet the families of the deceased, who were killed in the police shoot out. While addressing the media, he said that "Some anti-social elements infiltrated into the peaceful protests and instigated the violence, which led to the police firing, this is the same kind of incident which happened during Jallikattu protests violence."
The actor faced a lot of criticism for this and for standing with the line of the government in this matter. Even the opposition parties slammed Rajinikanth for such a statement.
Edappadi Palaniswami then formed an independent judicial commission to probe the reason behind the violence and the circumstances which led to the firing, under retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan a year ago and the probe has been happening since then.
This Commission has now summoned Rajinikanth for his statement and to know what he knows about the violence and firing since he has accused that anti-social statements were responsible for the violence.
Updated 22:55 IST, February 4th 2020