Cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged demonstrations on Tuesday in various parts of the Tamilnadu against anti-people economic policies of the Central and State governments. The increase in essential commodities, milk, bus fare and the proposed hike in power tariff will only further burden the people. The CPI (M) members were critical of the power crisis experienced in the state.
In Coimbatore, the party members led by P. Sampath, State Executive Member, V. Ramamoorthy, District Secretary, Sukumar, head, federation of autorickshaw drivers' association, staged demonstration in front of Tamil Nadu Hotel. A few of those attempted to block traffic by lying down on the road. The police arrested and removed 342 protestors from the venue.
Elsewhere in the district, the police removed 98 protestors in Saravanampatti, 139 from Radhakrishna Mill Road Junction, 60 in Sulur, 178 in Thudiyalur, 57 in Pollachi and 62 in Pollachi East. In all, the police arrested and removed over 1,000 CPI (M) cadre. As many as 1,713 members of Communist Party of India (Marxist) were arrested for staging road blockade agitation at 17 places in the district.
Hundreds of cadres of the CPI(M) staged agitation in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. Party MLA R.Ramamurthy led the agitation at Villupuram. More than 1,300 members of Communist Party of India (Marxist), including 380 women, were arrested when they attempted to stage road blockades in different parts of the Erode district. In Erode town, over 250 members gathered in front of the Erode Government Hospital. They were courted arrest when they attempted to stage a road blockade. Similar agitations were held in 13 places including Gobichettipalayam, Sivagiri, Sathyamangalam, Bhavani and Thalavadi.
More than 2,000 cadres of the Communists Party of India (Marxists) were arrested when they took out a rally and picketed roads in 17 places in the Dindigul district. In Dindigul, around 265 cadres including 105 women, led by the party's district secretary N. Pandi, took out rally which started at party office at LGB compound and ended at MGR statue near Kamarajar central bus stand. Later, they picketed AMC Road before the bus stand and raised slogan. A total of 1,075 members were arrested when they picketed roads at various places in the Theni district. They appealed to the Centre not to scale down interest rate on PF savings. The cadres picketed roads in Theni, Goodalur, Periakulam, Cumbum, Bodi, Andipatti, Chinnamanur, Kombai, Devadhanapatti and Kadamalaigundu. A total of 1,233 activists of Communist Party of India (Marxist) were arrested and released in the evening for blocking roads at 14 places in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.In Krishnagiri district, 606 activits, including 98 women, were arrested from seven places and were released in the evening. G. Sekar, district secretary led the agitation in front of the Post Office in Hosur. In Dharmapuri district, 647 activists, including 200 women, were arrested from seven places and were released in the evening. Marimuthu, district secretary, led the agitation in Harur. P. Dillibabu, MLA, attended the agitation at Pappireddipatti.
As many as 272 persons including 66 women were arrested in various parts of the Nilgiris. Demonstrations were organised by the CPI (M) in Kotagiri, Gudalur, Manjoor, Erumadu and Ooty. As many as 622 cadres of the CPI (M) were arrested while attempting to block traffic in eight locations in Tiruvannamalai district. In Tiruvannamalai, the cadres took out a rally from Arivoli Park on Vellore Road. State committee member of the party D.Lakshmanan led the rally.
A total of 1,735 Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres including 633 women were detained when they staged a road roko at 14 places in the Nellai district. As many as 1,237 cadres of the CPI (Marxist) were arrested in various parts of the Thirunelveli district. Activists blocked roads at places including Tuticorin, Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ettayapuram, Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram, Tiruchendur, Udangudi, Sathankulam, Srivaikuntam, Alwarthirunagari and Seidunganallur. In Tuticorin, the cadres led by town secretary K.S. Arjunan, staged a road roko near the old bus station.
The activists of CPI (Marxists) tried to stage a road roko in as many as 19 places in the Kannyakumari district The agitation was led by district secretary Murugesan in front of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation office at Parvathipuram. Such agitations were held at Suchindrum, Ethamozhi, Monday Market, Muttaicadu, Kulasekaram, Thiruvattar, Verkilampi, Ponmanai, Karungal, Thittuvilai, Nithravilai, Kadayal, Melpuram, Marthandam, Thuckalay.etc.
Over 1,000 CPI (M) cadre were arrested all over the Tiruchi district. Similar attempts were held at 13 centres including Manapparai, Tiruverumbur, Uppiliapuram, Thottiyam, Thuraiyur, Mannachanallur, Lalgudi, Musiri and Jeeyapuram. CPI (M) cadre led by the party state executive committee member S.Noor Mohamed assembled near the central bus stand from where they planned to take out a march and picket the Tiruchi railway junction. Road rokos were organised at 13 places across the Namkkal district including Namakkal, Rasipuram, Komarapalayam, Namagiripettai, Velur, Elachipalayam and Valavanthinadu. CPI (M) cadre, led by State Council member R. Singaravelu and other frontline functionaries of Salem District and Urban Committees staged dharna and road roko in various parts of Salem District.
In Thanjavur town, Madukkur S.Ramalingam, state committee member of the party, led the agitation. The functionaries came in procession from Irwin bridge to the collectorate, and squatted on the road, when police rounded them up. Similar protests were staged at 14 places, including Kumbakonam, Pattukottai, Papanasam, Orathanadu, Peravurani, Madukkur, and Thiruvaiyaru. In Tiruvarur, state committee member V. Marimuthu spearheaded the protest in front of the central post office. A procession was taken out from the railway station to the post office. Similar agitations were held at 10 places including Thiruthuraipoondi, Mannargudi, Koradachery, Nannilam, Muthupettai, Kottur, and Valangaiman. Agitations were conducted in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai town besides eight other centres in the district. A total of 797 party cadre, including 207 women, were taken into custody for picketing the government offices. Nagain Malee, MLA and district secretary of the party, was arrested along with the party workers at Keezhvelur. The protests were held at Keezhayur, Vedaranyam, Thittacherri, Thalainayar, Semmanarkoil, Sirkazhi, and Kuthalam.A total of 1,032 CPI (M) functionaries, including 288 women, courted arrest at 20 places while attempting to picket government offices. In Pudukottai town, the agitation was led by A. Lazar, MLA and state executive member of the party, M. Chinnadurai, district secretary, and T. N. Natarajan, town secretary. The picketing in Aranthangi was led by Kavivarman. The party workers were taken into custody at Alangudi, Karambakudi, Annavasal, Viralimalai, Avudaiyarkoil, Arimalam, and Tirumayam.
A total of 175 workers, including 74 women, were arrested at Ariyalur and Jayamkondam town. In Ariyalur, the agitation was led by Maharajan, district secretary of the party, and Jothiram led the agitation in Jayamkondam.About 120 members were arrested in Perambalur and Veppanthattai town. In Veppanthattai, N. Chelladurai, district secretary of the party, led the agitation in front of the taluk office, while R. Alagarswamy, CITU district secretary, along with party members attempted to picket the taluk office in Perambalur.
