Protesting Left leaders held; Balakrishnan seeks CM's assertive role, warns against any repression

CHENNAI: CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan on Saturday demanded an assertive intervention of CM Stalin to resolve the Samsung workers' ongoing strike amicably.

Leading the joint demonstration by the CPM, CPI and CPI (ML) Liberation here, he said that the state government and the police have refused permission for the Left parties' demonstration, fearing that the Samsung management would become angry. "The DMK government is supporting the Samsung administration in this issue. The CM should not make all people fight against the DMK government's refusal to grant workers' rights. How are you going to protect the rights of the people of Tamil Nadu if the workers have to be subservient to multinational companies?" he wondered.

Police arrested all those who took part in the demonstration including Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan.

“Chief Minister should not initiate repression. DMK would not have been in politics if it could win through oppression. The demands of the workers should be resolved smoothly,” the Left leaders said.

In a social media post, Balakrishnan wrote, "Today's demonstration was held to condemn the actions of the police in suppressing the labour protests and suppressing the protests in held in the workers support. It is reprehensible that the police have continued their course in this protest as well. At the very least, the government should change course and ensure the right of struggling workers to form a union."