Environment Day: Planting saplings as a tribute to Sterlite protestors

The Students Federation of India is up for a creative protest against the Thoothukudi shooting this Environment Day.

The central committee of the Left-wing students’ organisation has urged its unit committees to plant 13 saplings on June 5 to pay tribute to the 13 anti-Sterlite protestors killed on the spot during the May 22 police firing.

There are almost 15,000 registered units for the organisation, said the Central Executive Committee member Nitheesh Narayan. It is spread across schools, colleges and universities in the country.

In a Facebook post, SFI said, "We have also learned from the incident that the nexus between ruling class and corporate houses could violate any rights for their ultimate profit, though they have not succeeded. The saga of resistance showed the path. At the same time, we observe the challenges which are bringing our civilisation at the blink of disaster." The protest is an 'environment challenge' to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the statement says.

Since most of the colleges will not be functioning in Tamil Nadu, the event will be held in the district and state headquarters and village committees said a CEC member from the state.

SFI was one of the organisations that took part in the month-long protest in Thoothukudi. "We played a key role in organising students during the protest," says Suresh Pandian, district secretary of SFI Thuthukudi.

“From February 26 to March 8, we continuously boycotted the colleges and ITI in support of the protest. Six of our workers, including four minors, were arrested and remanded after the collectorate march on April 13.”

Police still witchhunt their leaders, says Suresh. "Our district secretary Amarnath is still under hiding.”