Why gunning down of protesters in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi is state-sponsored terrorism

Several people took to Twitter to express their shock, anger and bereavement over the loss of innocent lives in Tamil Nadu.

Chennai, May 23: In a democracy, masses have only one tool to voice their dissent against ruling governments. They come out on the streets and protest against any wrongdoings.

In today's India, protests are fast turning into violent episodes of mass killings. The latest is the case of deaths of at least 10 innocent persons due to indiscriminate firing by the police during an anti-Sterlite rally in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi on Tuesday.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi termed the deaths of several people in police firing during protests against the Sterlite copper plant in the southern state a "brutal example of state-sponsored terrorism."

"The gunning down by the police of 9 people in the Sterlite protest in Tamil Nadu is a brutal example of state sponsored terrorism. These citizens were murdered for protesting against injustice. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these martyrs and the injured," Rahul wrote on Twitter.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has ordered a judicial inquiry into the police action.

The police action followed months-long protests for the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi over pollution concerns. The agitation turned violent on Tuesday, with protesters fighting pitched battles with police, prompting it to open fire.

Several people took to Twitter to express their shock, anger and bereavement over the loss of innocent lives. Many have termed the whole macabre episode as genocide, well-planned to help big corporates to carry on with their money-minting projects without any hiccups.

Several raised questions over the decision of the police to use assault rifles to open fire against unarmed Sterlite protesters. The deaths of so many people in Tamil Nadu reminded others of Kashmir, where protesters have often been silenced by bullets.

Here we bring you a few tweets highlighting the police brutality: