Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay says his government will withdraw cases filed against farmers and teachers who participated in protests during the previous DMK administration. He makes the announcement in the state Assembly through a suo motu statement under Rule 110, saying the actions were taken in response to people exercising democratic rights to protest peacefully.
Vijay links the decision to specific protest contexts, including cases involving farmers who protested against industrial projects such as SIPCOT and the Parandur airport proposal, which the current government later scraps. He also refers to instances where laws like the Goondas Act were invoked against protesters. For teachers, Vijay says cases related to protest participation are pending and that withdrawing them will reduce hardship for those affected.
While the sources describe the same core decision, the framing differs slightly: one outlet emphasizes that Vijay says the move is meant to respect democratic rights and build trust, and notes his criticism of how protesters were treated under the earlier DMK government. Another highlights ongoing demands by opposition parties for broader withdrawal of protest-related cases beyond the initially cited farmer and teacher matters.
