CHENNAI/COIMBATORE/MADURAI/TIRUCHY: Backing the nationwide general strike called by central trade unions and farmers’ organisations, constituents of the INDIA bloc – including the Left parties, DMK, Congress, and VCK – and trade unions staged protests across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, alleging that the BJP-led union government is pursuing “anti-labour and anti-people” policies.
Besides opposing the opening up of key sectors to private & foreign players and policies affecting farmers and states’ rights, the strike was organised against the four labour codes, which the protesters claimed dilute hard-won workers’ rights.
They also criticised the proposed amendments to the power, insurance and education sectors, and raised concerns about trade agreements that they said could hurt domestic industry and agriculture.
In Chennai, cadres of the Left parties, DMK, Congress, VCK, trade unions along with allied organisations staged road blockades at six locations. TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai and CPI state secretary M Veerapandian participated in the protest. Police detained hundreds of protesters and later cleared the blockade sites.
In Coimbatore, a protest was held at the Coimbatore Railway Junction by the National Federation of Indian Women, All India Youth Congress, Tamil Nadu Oppressed Right to Life Movement, and All India Students Congress, demanding the withdrawal of the “anti-farmer” Seed Bill.
Due to the nationwide strike, Kerala state buses were not operated on Thursday. TNSTC also did not operate interstate bus services to neighbouring Kerala, and operated services only up to Walayar on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.
Over 460 functionaries of DMK, Congress, VCK, and central trade unions were detained on Thursday after they staged a rail roko in Tiruchy and Srirangam railway stations.
In Thanjavur, 1,515 members of various trade unions and farmers’ associations were detained when they picketed the post offices at 17 places across the district as part of the strike that also demanded the scrapping of “provisions against Indian farmers” in the Indo-US trade deal.
Similar protests were held Kumbakonam, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari. TNSTC buses operated only up to the Kerala border at Kaliyakkavilai (Kanniyakumari district) on Thursday. TNSTC officials said the buses would start plying to Kerala early morning on Friday.