The Opposition-sponsored nation-wide two-day strike that commenced on Tuesday did not have any impact here as life was quite normal with buses plying as usual and government offices functioning with maximum strength.
Condemning the “anti-people, anti-labour policies” of the Narendra Modi-led Union Government, the Opposition parties had called for a strike that failed to elicit any response in the district on Tuesday. Buses were operated as usual and government offices functioned normally with maximum strength of the employees.
Members of various trade unions organised a demonstration in front of railway junction and pensioners staged a protest in front of the Palayamkottai Head Post Office. Members of MUTA staged a demonstration near Government Siddha Medical College in Palayamkottai.
The protesters said the Centre was strangulating the poor and the middle class ever since it came to power in 2014 while the rich and the super rich had become richer due to the pro-corporate policies.
Speakers criticised the Centre for demonetisation of high-value currency notes, Goods and Service Tax, unemployment and fuel price hike.
Work in banks barring private banks and Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of India was hit as employees of these financial institutions participated in the strike. The bank employees organised a demonstration in front of Federal Bank’s Palayamkottai Branch. “Banking services in 150 branches have been hit,” said Rengan, Tirunelveli district secretary of All India Bank Employees Association.
The cargo-laden lorries proceeding to various towns of Kerala were stopped at Puliyarai on the Tirunelveli – Kerala border.
In Kanniyakumari district, normal life was not affected. Buses usually operated from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram and other destinations in Kerala were stopped at Kaliyakkavilai.
Ramanathapuram
Normal life remained unaffected as the two-day all India strike called by 10 central trade unions to protest against the government’s alleged anti-worker policies evoked partial response on the first day of the strike on Tuesday.
Almost all shops remained open and buses, trains and autorickshaws plied as usual. The strike was, however, total in life and general insurance companies and postal department while it evoked partial response in BSNL and banking sector.
Revenue and rural development offices wore deserted look in Ramanathapuram district as employees participated in full. The strike evoked partial response in highways and backward classes and minorities’ welfare department.
Drivers and conductors of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation owing allegiance to trade unions struck work but bus services were not hit. The police arrested 69 CITU activists when they staged an agitation at Parthibanur in Ramanathapuram.
In Sivaganga, the police arrested 68 farmers of an association affiliated to the Communist Party of India when they staged a road roko in Thirupuvanam and Thirupattur.
Trade union leaders said that the strike evoked good response. In the evening, members of trade unions staged demonstrations in support of their demands.
Virudhunagar
Banking transactions were partially hit as only two out of nine associations of bank employees went for the strike on Tuesday.
“While bank branches were open, transactions were affected to some extent as clerical employees owing allegiance to All India Bank Employees Association and Bank Employees Federation of India went on strike,” BEFI district functionary, S.C. Marikani said.
However, business was as usual in State Bank of India branches as its employees did not take part in the strike. Over 300 out of 1,500 bank staff abstained from work in the district, according to police sources.
