CHENNAI: A little over 7500 teachers of Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations-Government Employees’ Organisations (JACTTO-GEO) were arrested here on Tuesday for alleged violation of police regulatory orders.
Besides holding a massive protest, demonstrators organised a march from Chepauk to the Secretariat to highlight their four-point charter of demands which included repeal of the new pension scheme. They also demanded regularisation of jobs of part-time staff and teachers.
Totally, 7,516 were arrested across the city. Security was tightened around Walajah Road and around 6,000 police personnel were stationed near the Secretariat. Barricades were erected near Walajah Road and vehicles were allowed only after ensuring that the protesters were not entering the area. By noon, all vehicular movement was barred.
Police personnel were deployed at Koyambedu, Central Railway Station and Perungalathur to prevent entry of teachers from other districts. Preemptive arrests in several districts drastically prevented inflow of protesters. Over one lakh teachers were expected to participate in the protest, while only around 10,000 made it.
Opposition parties strongly condemned the arrest of teachers. Opposition leader MK Stalin said that the government should comply with the teachers’ demands or at least hold a fair discussion with them. Congress and CPI (M) expressed their solidarity with JACTTO.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters that 70 per cent of government revenue was spent on government employees’ welfare. “We have only limited funds to carry out other State welfare schemes. We can’t spend everything on government employees.” He urged the teachers to withdraw their stir.