Stir against demonetisation, Opposition party leader Stalin arrested
Leaders of the Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including DMK Treasurer M K Stalin, TNCC President Su Thirunavukkarasar, CPI Secretary R Mutharasan and CPI-M State Secretary G Ramakrishnan, were arrested for staging protest demonstrations against the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, in a bid to curb the black money menace.
By : migrator
Update: 2016-11-28 12:23 GMT
Chennai
Normal life remained unaffected in Tamil Nadu as shops, schools, colleges, transport services, private and government organisations functioned normally, despite the joint call given by the opposition parties in New Delhi to hold protests across the country.
After a two-day holiday, banks also functioned as usual, though long queues were seen in front of several ATMs.
The much awaited Rs 500 note has also yet to reach several banks, causing hardship to the people.
In Chennai city, Mr Stalin led the DMK's protest in front of the Head Office of the Indian Bank near the Collector's office.
He said his party was not opposing the demonetisation move per se, but the agitation was to highlight the hardships faced by the people and to urge the Centre and the State governments to mitigate their sufferings.
Mr Stalin along with several DMK leaders, including former Union Minister T R Baalu and former state Ministers were arrested for staging the agitation.
Meanwhile, Mr Thirunavukkarasar along with several Congress leaders were arrested for staging a similar protest in front of the Anna Road Post office in the city.
Police sources said about 300 congress workers, including 50 women, were arrested.
Though the Congress had earlier announced that it would participate in the protest announced by its senior ally the DMK, it later changed its stand and decided to organise its own agitation in the city, while extending support to the DMK in the rest of the State.
Speaking on the occasion, the TNCC Chief said the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had implemented the demonetisation move without any proper planning thereby causing a lot of difficulties to the common man, could not escape from the people's anger.
Mr Thirunavukkarasar was arrested along with former TNCC Chiefs K V Thangkabalu, M Krishnasamy former MP J M Haroon, former MLA Peter Alphonse and Congress functionaries including Roypuram Mano for staging the agitation.
Protests were also held in front of the SBI branch in Nungambakkam in which leaders of Left parties, including Mr Ramakrishnan (CPI-M), Mr Mutharasan (CPI), along with the members of VCK took part.
The Tamil Nadu Traders Federation President Vellaiyan who had earlier called for closure of all the shops, rescinded his decision and instead decided to participate in the protest.
All of them were detained and taken to a marriage hall.
Similar agitations were held across the state and in the districts.
Meanwhile, in a bid to counter the opposition stir, the BJP launched a signature campaign involving traders in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation exercise.
TN BJP youth wing president Vinoj launched the shop-to-shop signature campaign from the retail traders.
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