Tamilaga Vazhvumurai Katchi (TVK) president and Panruti MLA T. Velmurugan has slammed the DMK, his party’s ally, over the eviction and demolition of homes in areas like Anakaputhur and Saidapet in Chennai.
Speaking at an event organized by the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Association, Velmurugan condemned the ruling DMK government for forcibly removing residents from 15 villages, including Eknapuram, allegedly to make way for a private airport project that “doesn’t even have a single flight.”
Drawing parallels with demolitions in Delhi, Velmurugan said, “Here, for the sake of a private (entity) Tata that doesn’t even have a single flight, people from 15 villages including Eknapuram are being chased out and thrown away. Today, in Delhi, a thousand homes are being demolished. There is no one to question. Children are crying, schoolboys and girls in uniform, there’s no one to hear them. Fine, in Delhi, it’s at least 2000 miles away. In Delhi, if it’s the BJP government, then in our own Tamil Nadu, it’s our alliance government the DMK government in Chennai that is demolishing and throwing out people from marginalised communities, from coastal regions, from riverside areas poor people displacing daily wage workers. From Kundrathur to Anakaputhur, from Saidapet to all parts of the city, they are being evicted and their homes razed. No one listens. And if questioned, they say the High Court ordered. So, I ask the High Court judges, you who sit on the judgement and deliver justice aren’t you aware that even the Madurai High Court is built on lakes and ponds? They say Valluvar Kottam was also built like that. Many star hotels, commercial complexes, and government buildings in Chennai all those tall towers and massive structures have been built on land that belonged to farmers or on waterbodies. Shouldn’t that be demolished and cleared instead of clearing the homes of innocent people. One poor Muslim sister, with her two daughters, is falling at the feet of a police officer, begging him, crying — yet no one to listen. They just demolish and move on like nothing.”
டெல்லி பாஜகதான் வீடுகளை இடிக்கிறதுன்னு பார்த்தால்…
இங்க இருக்கிற எங்கள் கூட்டணி கட்சி திமுகவும், இடிச்சு தரைமட்டமாக்குறாங்க – வேல்முருகன்#TVK | #Velmurugan | #BJP | #DMK pic.twitter.com/8piMEPUjeb— PuthiyathalaimuraiTV (@PTTVOnlineNews) June 4, 2025
What Prompted Velmurugan’s Outburst?
The criticism came in response to widespread evictions and demolitions taking place in Anakaputhur, particularly in areas like Quaid-E-Millath Nagar and Stalin Nagar. The Tambaram Corporation, citing flood mitigation efforts, has begun clearing what it says are unauthorized structures along the Adyar River.
According to officials, nearly 600 concrete homes are marked for demolition, with 593 structures already labeled as illegal encroachments. The operation, now in its third day, has already seen more than 300 homes demolished, following earlier similar efforts in Shanthi Nagar and Moogambi Nagar.
Corporation Commissioner S. Balachander, along with police and revenue officials, is overseeing the process to ensure public order. The government insists that residents are being relocated to newly built homes in Keerapakkam and Thailavaram, with resettlement plans also including Perumbakkam and Navalur.
Why Are Residents Protesting?
While authorities claim the demolitions are legally sanctioned and necessary for public safety, many residents say they’ve lived in these areas for decades—some for over 50 years. Several say they were even promised official land titles (pattas) not long before demolition notices were served.
Locals argue that the areas being cleared have established roads, power lines, and individual electricity meters provided by the government—calling into question the claim that their homes are illegal encroachments.
Furthermore, families report serious issues with the resettlement sites, citing lack of basic amenities and unsuitable living conditions. Many have been relocated far from their original neighborhoods, disrupting livelihoods, children’s education, and long-standing community bonds.
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