Communist Party of India cadre were court arrested in large numbers as part of ‘fill the jails’ protests condemning the ‘anti-people’ policies of the Central Government.
Demonstrators condemned the inability of the UPA-led government to rein in on the weakening rupee, inflation, and rising corruption and lack of transparency .
Putting forth a 13-point charter of demands, the protesters demanded an increase in the number of wage days to 200 and hike in wages to Rs. 300 under MNREGS; stipulating a minimum wage of Rs.10,000; a monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 for farm labourers.
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In addition, they condemned the rising atrocities against women and dalits, and demanded security for the vulnerable sections of the society.
THANJAVUR: A total of 4,972 CPI cadres including 2,000 women were arrested by the police in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts when they took part in the ‘Jail bharo’ agitation on Saturday.
In Thanjavur district, 654 persons were arrested while in Tiruvarur district 4,318 were arrested.
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At Thanjavur, R. Mutharasan, State council member of the party, led the demonstration before the Head Post office along with R. Thirugnanam, District Secretary.
Agitations were held at Peravurani, Pattukottai, Madukkur, Ammapettai, Papanasam, Kumbakonam, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Thiruppanandal.
G. Palanisamy, state assistant secretary, led the agitation before Head Post office in Tiruvarur was arrested along with party cadre. At Mannargudi, former MLA, V. Sivapunniyam led the agitation and was arrested. At Thiruthuraipoondi, K. Ulaganathan, MLA led the agitation and was arrested. Agitations were held at Kottur, Muthupettai, Needamangalam, Koradachery, Koothanallur, Nannilam and Valangaiman.
Demonstrations were held before the post offices in 11 blocks and over 851 people, including 300 women courted arrests.
KARUR: A total of 211 CPI cadre including 51 women were arrested when they staged road roko in eight places across Karur district on Saturday to highlight their charter of demands as part of the nationwide protest.
The CPI cadre staged the protests in Karur, Pasupathypalayam, Vengamedu, Aravakurichi, Chinnadarapuram, Kulithalai, Panjapatti and Taragampatti.
In Karur town 22 male cadre were arrested near the bus stand, while at Pasupathypalayam 34 persons including seven women were arrested.
At Vengamedu 28 cadre including 15 women were arrested while at Aravakurichi 36 persons including nine women were arrested.
At Chinnadarapuram 39 cadre including 15 women were arrested while in Kulithalai 22 cadre including two women were arrested. Police also arrested 12 cadre at Panjapatti and 18 persons including three women were arrested at Taragampatti when they staged road roko.
In Karur the protest was led by the party State executive member V.P. Gunasekaran, while party district secretary K.K. Periyasamy, town secretary Nethaji and others participated.
PUDUKOTTAI:
A total of 1,141 CPI cadre, including 394 women, were taken into custody from eleven centres in the district today.
T. Indirajit, state committee member, and T. Senkodan, district secretary of the party led the picketing agitation in front of the head post office.
Similar agitations were held in Iluppur, Alangudi, Gandarvakottai, Avudaiyarkoil, Aranthangi, Keeranur, Tirumayam, Ponnamaravathi, Karambakudi and Manamelkudi.