Madurai
A large group of autorickshaw drivers affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest in front of the Welfare Board Office here on Tuesday urging the government to give Pongal gift hampers to them.
The autorickshaw drivers protested with vessels, firewood and sugarcane to indicate that they can celebrate the Pongal festival happily only if the government distributed Pongal gift hampers to them.
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CITU district secretary R. Deivaraj said that the government is distributing Pongal gift hampers to construction workers registered with the welfare board. “So, the government must extend the distribution of Pongal gift hampers to autorickshaw drivers as well,” he said.
Autorickshaw drivers were financially affected during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown. “Despite the relaxation of norms, the patronage for autorickshaws has been very poor mainly owing to the closure of educational institutions. Hence, the government must distribute Pongal gift hampers to autorickshaw drivers also,” said Mr. Deivaraj.