If one goes by the opposition to the Tata Steels' controversial Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) Titanium dioxide project at Sattankulam in the backward Tuticorin district, the answer is 'may be, yes'.
Almost all the political parties in Tamil Nadu barring the ruling DMK had opposed the project, besides a dominant section of the Nadar community, which was a considerable presence in the area.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who revived the project by signing a fresh memorandum of understanding with Ratan Tata, is in full support of the project, which he claims that it would bring economic prosperity to the backward Sattankulam in Southern Tamil Nadu.
Tata
Steel's managing director Muthuraman was also firm in going ahead with the project, which brings his group's major investment to the state.
Tatas got support from unexpected quarter, S Vaikuntarajan, owner of V V Minerals, who is also involved in mining of illuminate from the sands in the area.
It was Vaikuntarajan, a shareholder in the AIADMK backed Jaya TV, who had been opposing the project since 2002, when the Tatas signed the first MoU with the Tamil Nadu government when the AIADMK Supremo Jayalalithaa was in power.
He then demanded that he should be allowed to continue mining in over 100 acres of land, which was part of 11,000 acres, in which Tatas were scheduled to mine.
