Protests, livelihoods affected: Thoothukudi shipyard project risks becoming CM Vijay's 'Parandur'

Tamil Nadu’s newly elected TVK government, led by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, faces a major political crisis just weeks after scrapping the Parandur airport to protect local farmers. In Thoothukudi, salt pan workers and fishermen are fiercely protesting a proposed ₹38,000-crore HD Hyundai shipyard, fearing the destruction of traditional livelihoods and marine ecology. The mega-project has fractured the ruling alliance, with key allies like VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan openly opposing the industrial expansion. Vijay now faces an existential dilemma: forcing the project risks alienating his working-class base and inviting charges of hypocrisy, while canceling it threatens massive global foreign investment.