DMK functionaries demand money for running shops, charge platform vendors

TIRUCHY: Alleging that the local ruling party functionaries have been forcibly collecting money between Rs 20,000 and 40,000 for running shops, the platform vendors staged a protest in Thanjavur on Monday.

The platform vendors and the auto drivers who have been earning their livelihood in the spots owned by the Thanjavur civic administration.

During the Deepavali season, the party functionaries have been threatening the vendors and the auto drivers to vacate the places from where they have been functioning for several years.

The vendors said that they are forced to give money to the ruling party functionaries to continue to sell in the same spot where they were doing their livelihood.

They said that they had taken the issues to the concerned authorities but no action has been initiated so far but the situation continues to prevail.

On Monday, the members who assembled in front of the railady in Thanjavur staged a protest demanding safety for them from the ruling party functionaries.

While addressing the participants, the CITU state secretary C Jayapal said, these people have been earning their livelihood from the same place for several years.

But a few persons from the ruling party have been forcing them to vacate the spot immediately if they fail to give money ranging between Rs 20,000 and 40,000.

“Those who fail to give money are being threatened by them and the civic administration should immediately get involved in the issue and solve the problem and help the vendor in earning their livelihood”, Jayapal said.