Nearly a year after taking the political plunge, actor Vijay met villagers protesting against Chennai’s second airport project proposed at Parandur
| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

Residents of Parandur and surrounding villages have been protesting for more than 900 days against the acquisition of farmlands for the proposed airport, nearly 70 km from Chennai
| Photo Credit:
B. Velankanni Raj

Actor-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Monday (January 20, 2025) charged that the ruling DMK was “a master at staging drama” and taking contradictory stances on farmers’ issues.

Nearly a year after taking the political plunge, Mr. Vijay met villagers protesting against Chennai’s second airport project proposed at Parandur, in the neighbouring Kancheepuram district. In a meeting organised at an open ground on the premises of a private wedding resort in Parandur, Mr. Vijay addressed the residents of 13 villages, including Parandur, Ekanapuram, Nelvoy, Valathur, Madapuram, and Akkammapuram, who have been protesting for more than 900 days against the acquisition of farmlands for the proposed airport, nearly 70 km from Chennai.

He said, when the DMK was in the opposition, it supported farmers’ causes and opposed projects like the Chennnai-Salem ‘eight-lane highway’ and Kattupalli port. The party should have done the same by supporting farmers when it came to power, but instead, it is supporting “anti-farmers projects,” he alleged.

‘People won’t keep quiet’

“I welcome the resolution passed in the Assembly against the tungsten mining project at Arittapatti in Madurai. At the same time, you [the DMK government] should have taken the same stand with respect to the Parandur airport project. Why are you staging this kind of drama? Of course, you are masters at staging drama as per your convenience. People have clearly understood that. Hereafter, they will not keep quiet.”

Mr. Vijay said he was not against developmental projects but they should not come at the cost of environmental degradation. He urged the Union and State governments to re-examine the Parandur airport project and consider another suitable location without harming the interests of farmers.

“I was about to visit the protest site at Ekanapuram, but permission was denied. I will visit Ekanapuram soon,” he added.

The ₹29,144-crore greenfield airport project has been planned to be constructed over 2,172.73 hectares. The Union government granted site clearance approval to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited in August last year. Following this, the State government had issued notices for acquiring more than 4,000 acres of land.

The Kancheepuram district police made elaborate security arrangements for the meeting. Restrictions were imposed on outsiders to enter the meeting hall.