Protests continue over Cauvery Board in Coimbatore

Trade unions to participate in agitation on April 5

April 04, 2018 07:57 am | Updated 07:21 pm IST - COIMBATORE

A fast observed by the AIADMK in Coimbatore on Tuesday.

A fast observed by the AIADMK in Coimbatore on Tuesday.

The city on Tuesday witnessed widespread agitations by political parties urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board as directed by the Supreme Court.

Lawyers boycotted courts, and farmers' markets remained closed.

The fast by the ruling AIADMK began at 8.30 a.m. near the Tamil Nadu Hotel near the Gandhipuram bus stand.

Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani, S.R. Balasubramanian, A.K. Selvaraj and Mahendran, all MPs, PRG Arun Kumar, Amman Arjunan, Arukutty, O.K. Chinnaraj, Ettimadai Kanagaraj, and Kasturi Vasu, all MLAs, among others attended the agitation.

Hundreds of Hindi-speaking workers from northern States working in Somanur in the city too were seen at the fasting venue.

Floral homage were paid to the portraits of MGR and Jayalalithaa at the venue. Many were seen taking selfie with the portraits.

Some of the AIADMK activists who were seen consuming liquor roughed up reporters and videographers when they tried to capture the scene at a Tasmac shop behind the central bus stand in Gandhipuram.

Some of them even there tried to damage electronic gadgets of photographers and reporters.

Police pickets were posted near all central government offices, railway stations, post offices, airport, and central government installations and important junctions in the city for the last two days.

DMK protest

As many as 97 activists of DMK including N. Karthick, MLA, were arrested when they were proceeding to lay siege to airport.

A total of 156 DMK activists were arrested in Thottipalayam Pirivu. Some of them blocked road at Goundampalayam and Sulur Railway station.

Activists of the DMK, TMMK, and some other parties tried to block 12512 Trivandrum-Gorakpur Rapti Sagar express at Coimbatore railway junction.

Coimbatore Bar Council members boycotted courts. They wanted Sterlite Industries in Thoothukudi and Nitrino Project in Theni be closed. They took out a rally around the District Court complex.

Thirty six activists of Nam Tamizhar Katchi staged an agitation in front of the office of the Income Tax in Race Course in Coimbatore. Two of them were taken to custody from VOC grounds.

Farmers' markets

Farmers markets in R.S. Puram and Vadavalli remained closed on Tuesday. Tamizhaga Vivasyigal Sagam headed by Su. Palanisamy staged a demonstration. In a statement here, the district unit of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders Association headed by A.M. Vikramaraja has said that all hotels, bakeries, pharmcies, T.K. Market and other main markets remained closed on Tuesday.

Kongu Nadu Makkal Katchi will participate in the state-wide strike called by the opposition parties on April 5, said E.R. Eswaran here Tuesday.

Trade unions here have decided to support to the bandh on April 5 called by opposition parties.

This was decided at a meeting of the unions held here on Tuesday.

About 700 hotels remained shut for half a day in the district on Tuesday.

Many shops downed shutters on Tuesday.

Shops selling electrical, hardware items functioned as usual. Shops at wholesale vegetable markets remained open on Tuesday.

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