Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadre staged protests
across Tamil Nadu on Friday against the economic policies of the
Central Government as part of the national campaign. More than 50000 cadres courted arrest across the state.
Party is of the view that Centre’s economic
policies have led to high inflation, which was placing a huge burden on
the economically weaker sections of the society.
The
policies of economic liberalisation and globalisation followed by the
government had led to a sharp spike in the prices of essential
commodities and have also contributed to higher unemployment, both of
which had hurt the common man. The party also
condemned the Government for the succession of scams in various fields
ranging from 3G allocation, coal, and procurement of helicopters for
VVIPs besides appointment of railway jobs. The agitators also condemned the government for allow foreign direct
investment in the retail sector. Thousands of retailers would be forced
to close their shops if the large corporate houses entered the sector,
they said.
Further,
the cadre said that instead of spending Rs. 15,950 crore annually to
safeguard the 665 lakh tonnes of rice stored in godowns across the
country, the Government could adopt universal public distribution system
rather than restricting the beneficiaries by dividing them to above and
below poverty line categories. The CPI (M) also
demanded changes in the Food Safety Act, which was currently under the
consideration of the Central Government and the introduction of
stringent legal provisions to protect women from harassment.
Pudukottai
In
Pudukottai, party cadres picketed Union government offices in 13 centres.CPIM district secretary M. Chinnadurai.
S. Rajasekaran, former MLA, led the agitation in Alangudi, and P.
Shanmugam, CITU district president, led the agitation in Arimalam. CPI
(M) cadres courted arrest in Pudupatti, Ponnamaravathi, Gandarvakottai,
Iluppur, Viralimalai, Aranthangi, Avudaiyarkoil, Manamelkudi, and
Keeranur in the district.
Karur
In Karur district, the party picketed the post offices. G. Rathinavelu,
former State committee member, led the agitation. K. Dorairaj, chairman
of the State Control Commission of the party, led the agitation at
Velayuthampalaiyam and K. Kandasamy, Karur district secretary of the
party, in Kulithalai. Agitations were held in Thogamalai, Chinna
Dharapuram, Krishnarayapuram, Tharagampatti, and Velayuthampalaiyam.
Ariyalur
In
Ariyalur district, police took into preventive custody 265 cadre.
Manivel, district secretary of the party, led the agitation in T.
Pazhur. Similar agitations were held in Jayamkondam, Andimadam, and
Senthurai towns. A total of 78 CPI(M) cadre were taken into custody from
Perambalur and Kaikalathur. Jothiram, State committee member, led the
agitation in Perambalur.
Thanjavur
Over 1,000 people were taken into preventive custody in Thanjavur. The
agitations were led by State Council member Mohammed Ali at Thanjavur,
Sami Nadarajan, District Council member at Orathanadu, G.Neelamegam,
Thanjavur District Secretary of CPI(M), at Peravurani, Budalur, V.
Jeevakumar, district committee member, at Budalur. Agitations were held
in Papanasam, Kumbakonam, Pattukottai, Thiruvonam.
Tiruvarur:
584 cadre were arrested at Tiruvarur, Mannargudi, Thiruthuraipoondi, Kodavasal, Peralam, and Nannilam.
Salem
Cadres staged road blocks and agitations at 19 places across the district. The police removed the cadre when they blocked the road near BSNL office
in Meyyanur. A total of 149 cadre, including 19 women, were removed in
the city when they staged protests in front of the Post Office in
Ayodhiyapattinam, BSNL office’s in Salem Town and at Pallapatti.
Likewise, 631 cadre, including 165 women, were removed from 16 places
across the district when they blocked the roads.
Puducherry
In Puducherry police
took around 500 cadres into custody when they blocked the roads in 5 places including Lawspet, Bahour, Villianur and others. V.
Perumal, territorial secretary of CPI (M), was among those arrested. As
many as 50 women took part too.They
didn’t forget to raise their protest against the power tariff hike in
Puducherry.
Vellore
In
Vellore, party’s State committee member P. Sundarrajan led the cadres
in front of Head Post Office to stage a road blockade and got arrested.
District Secretary A. Narayanan was among the 262 cadres (including 97
women) arrested while attempting to stage road rokos in eight places
namely, Vellore, Tirupathur, Ambur, Gudiyatham, Arcot, Ranipet, Nemili
and Vazhapanthal.
Tiruvannamalai
In Tiruvannamalai, party’s State
secretariat member N. Gunasekaran led the cadres to the Golden Jubilee
Memorial Pillar to stage a road roko. He got arrested. District
Secretary M. Veerabadran was among the 486 cadres (including 140 women)
arrested while attempting to stage road rokos in seven places including
Tiruvannamalai, Cheyyar, Vandavasi, Arani, Polur, Kalasapakkam and
Chengam.
Cudallore
K. Balakrishnan, MLA led the agittation in Cudallore district.
Dindigul
Communisy Party of India (Marxist) cadre were taken into
custody for blocking roads across the district. A total of 1,777
members of the CPM, including 461 women, were arrested when they held
road blockades at 21 places in the district
Addressing
the gathering in front of the Head Post Office here, Dindigul MLA
K.Balabarathi said the Centre should abandon the Direct Cash Transfer
Scheme as it was a clandestine move to close down the public
distribution system. Earlier, the CPI(M)
cadre took out a rally from Periyar statue to the Head Post Office.
Theni
Road
blockades were staged by CPM workers at eight places in Theni district,
and 875 CPI(M) cadre were arrested. Presiding over the protest action,
Periakulam MLA A.Lazar condemned the "anti-people policies" of the
Central Government and its "failure" to prevent rising prices of
essential commodities.
Ramanathapuram
Over
630 CPM workers, including 158 women, were arrested in Ramanathapuram
district when they staged agitations in front of post offices and banks
at 11 places on Friday. Police said CPI(M) district secretary
A.Govindasamy, who led the protestors here, and the party’s State
Committee member S.K.Ponnuthai in Paramakudi, were among the 639
arrested.
Sivaganga
A
total of 566 members of the CPI(M), including 193 women, who staged
protests in front of banks and other Central Government offices at 12
places in Sivaganga district, were arrested.
Tirunelveli
A
total of 1,392 cadre, including 414 women, were arrested when they
attempted to block traffic at 22 places in the district on Friday . In
the protest organised at Tirunelveli Junction, the police arrested 148
protestors, including four women, while the Tirunelveli rural police
detained 1,244 cadre, including 410 women, as they attempted to block
traffic at 21 places in the district.
Tuticorin
A
total of 1,350 cadre, including 650 women, of the Communist Party of
India (Marxist) courted arrest in various parts of Tuticorin district on
Friday when they blocked road.
Nagercoil
More
than 1,000 CPI(M) cadre courted arrest when they tried to block roads
at 28 places in different parts of Kanyakumari district.
Erode
In Erode town, traffic was blocked at Panneerselvam
park. Similar agitations were held at Perundurai, Bhavani, Anthiyur,
Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam, Thingalur, Sivagiri, Thalavadi, and
Kadambur.
The police arrested more than 1,200 agitators.
Nilgiris
A
total of 98 people owing allegiance to the Communist Party of India
(Marxist) were arrested for participating in a picketing demonstration
near the Independence Square here on Friday. Among those arrested were
35 women. The demonstration, led by the CPI (M) State
Executive Committee member N. Srinivasan. Among those who participated was the District Secretary,
CPI (M) R. Badri and district executive committee member L.
Thiagarajan. 52 persons were
arrested in Gudalur and 75 persons including 18 women were held in
Erumadu for participating in picketing demonstrations for the same
demands.
Madurai
Hundreds of Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadre
were arrested when they tried to stage protests in front of Central
Government offices in Madurai District on Friday, The party had organised protests at 16 places in the district. CPI(M) Central Committee member P.Sampath, led the protest on Scott Road.
Namakkal
More than thousand CPI(M)
cadres, including former MLA Nanmaran, were arrested in
Namakkal district on Friday
, 1220 workers were arrested from 27 areas in Namakkal district.
(Reports Courtesy : The Hindu, Photo Courtesy : Theekathir daily)
