Over 800 trade union members held for protest in western districts
The demands ranged from curbing inflation, stopping the privatisation of public sector undertakings, and reducing prices of petrol, diesel, LPG gas, and other essential commodities.
Trade union members staging protest in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: Over 800 members of trade unions including 250 women were arrested in Coimbatore for staging a protest as part of nationwide agitation against the privatisation of public sector undertakings.
Similar protests were held in other western districts. In Coimbatore, the members of AITUC, HMS, LPF, CITU, and other unions staged protests in around five locations. The demands ranged from curbing inflation, stopping the privatisation of public sector undertakings, and reducing prices of petrol, diesel, LPG gas, and other essential commodities.
They also sought the rollback of GST, increased fertilizer subsidies, and fixed minimum support prices for agricultural produce. One of the major demands put forth was the reopening of 23 NTC mills across the country including seven in Tamil Nadu.
As the protestors squatted in front of the district collector's office, vehicle movement to the railway station was disrupted. Police removed around 800 persons including 250 women and shifted them to a marriage hall and they were let off later.
In Salem, around 460 persons including 80 women were held for staging a protest in the ‘Kottai’ area. In Dharmapuri, more than 900 persons were removed for protests in three spots across the district.