Will mobilise people against TN's "desertifcation," says Vaiko

Kumbakonam (TN) MDMK General Secretary Vaiko today said he would mobilise people against projects aimed at exploration or extraction of oil and gas that will "desertify" Tamil Nadu and dared the authorities to slap cases against him.

Without naming anyone, he alleged that "officials" were at the peak of their "arrogance" and had said "somebody were instigating the people" and that action will be taken against such persons.

"What action will you be taking ? only I am instigating and I will continue to do that," he said and dared officials to register cases against him.

Vaiko's outburst comes against the backdrop of continuing protests by residents of Kathiramangalam village near here against a decades-old ONGC extraction project which witnessed violence recently over a leak in an oil pipeline.

"I will face the cases," he told reporters here.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami had last month said some "political parties and some anti-socials are instigating the innocent people," wantonly in the Kathiramangalam pipeline and Neduvasal hydrocarbon issues.

Vaiko said he will mobilise the "youth, the general public" against initiatives which will "desertify" the fertile Cauvery Delta region of Tamil Nadu.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)