Politicos flay crackdown, DMK allies back protesting Samsung employees

AIADMK General Secretary EPS on Wednesday charged that the DMK government is trying to quell the protests of the Samsung workers instead of resolving them through talks.
Edappadi K Palaniswami
Edappadi K Palaniswami
Updated on
2 min read

CHENNAI: Leaders of various political parties condemned the state government and police for the crackdown. Meanwhile, the leaders of DMK’s alliance partners, including CPM, CPI, and VCK, have planned to meet CM MK Stalin to urge his direct intervention over the ongoing strike to settle the issue amicably.

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday charged that the DMK government is trying to quell the protests of the Samsung workers instead of resolving them through talks. “The government has not shown any determination to set right the deterioration of law and order in the state. However, it is serious about quelling the protests of those who are fighting for their rights,” he added.

Meanwhile, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, former union minister KV Thangkabalu, and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan met the protesting Samsung employees at the protest venue and extended their support. Later, K Balakrishnan and Thol Thirumavalavan announced that they would meet CM MK Stalin within a couple of days to urge his direct intervention in this issue.

Balakrishnan said the approach of the ministers, who held talks with the workers who have been supporting the Samsung management, rather than the representatives of the protesting employees is not a good democratic practice. He further expressed the alleged police high-handedness used to curb the protest would not earn a good name to the state government.

Thirumavalavan
Thirumavalavan

Thirumavalavan said they were not against Samsung but they opposed the oppressive policies of the company. He further added the denial of establishing a trade union for the last 17 years is also an oppression. He urged the government to release the arrested workers immediately and withdraw the cases filed against them at once.

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss said the Dravidian model of governance of the present government has once again proven to be one that only favours capitalists. He further urged all the arrested employees must be released immediately.

AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran said denying the legal rights of the workers to form a trade union is unconstitutional.

Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi President T Velmurugan criticised the government for using the police to suppress the protest while allegedly siding with the Samsung management.

CII and FICCI want amicable resolution

Chennai: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region, urged all the stakeholders engaged in the dispute to work amicably towards an early solution. Srivats Ram, chairman of CII Tamil Nadu State Council, said TN is at forefront of bringing FDI from across the world. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FICCI) also stressed the same.

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