MUMBAI: Taking exception to the sedition cases filed by the State government against anti-liquor activists, Prakash Javadekar, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said slapping sedition cases against those exercising their democratic right is unheard of.
He was referring to the sedition cases filed by the police against the organisers of anti-liquor conference in Tiruchy.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Friday, the minister said both the Dravidian parties have been encouraging liquor sale in the State. “Both the DMK and the AIADMK follow the same liquor policy,” he said.
He also slammed both the Dravidian majors saying they have no social responsibility with regard to protecting the environment.
Explaining the new policy introduced by the BJP-led Union government in preventing illegal sand mining, Javadekar said his ministry would monitor the reservoirs across the country through satellite. “So far, there was no government body to receive complaints against river sand mining. With the introduction of the new policy, people can prefer complaints against sand miners and smugglers with the central government body,” the minister said.
To a query on DMK patriarch Karunanidhi’s opposition to the hike in the toll fee in National Highways, the minister said the agreement was signed during the previous Congress-led UPA regime, in which DMK was a part. “The DMK ministers did not oppose the move then,” he said, claiming that corrective measures were being taken to rectify their mistakes.
On the party’s alliance for the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, he said it has been finalised and seat-sharing would be announced in a couple of days.
Meanwhile, BJP candidate N Annadurai, who is contesting from Salem South constituency, began the election campaign here on Friday. However, the very first campaign in the district ended abruptly as permission was not sought from the Returning Officer. Annadurai started the campaign after performing a pooja at Gugai Kalliamman temple.