Today, the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, which had been producing copper for close to two decades stands permanently closed. Thousands of direct and indirect jobs have been lost. The company has now called for bids to sell the plant. The NGOs, radical Church forces, academia and the agenda-driven media can proudly declare ‘Mission Accomplished’

This is an edited version of the keynote address delivered by Atul Jain, General Secretary, DRI, in a virtual meet organised by the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Chair, Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu on 25 September, 2020.