About a dozen coir workers gheraoed Revenue and Coir Minister Adoor Prakash at his office in the high security Secretariat complex on Tuesday. The protesters reached the Minister’s office on the plea that they wanted to submit a memorandum on their ongoing indefinite dharna in front of the Secretariat to press various demands.
The dharna has been organised by the CPI(M)-led Coir Workers Centre, which had taken a march from Vaikom in Kottayam district to the State capital as part of the agitation. On reaching the Minister’s chamber, the women squatted on the floor and raised slogans. The Minister remained unmoved as the protest took place and the security and police personnel rushed into the room and removed the protestors. The coir workers main demand is that the State government should procure coir and coir products to save the industry which was faced with a major crisis. — Special Correspondent
