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General strike peaceful

Photo: Special Arrangement

In protest: Trade union activists staging road roko in Puducherry on Wednesday . —

PUDUCHERRY: The general strike called by the Central trade unions on Wednesday demanding action to contain price rise, strict implementation of labour laws, social security for unorganised sector workers, extension of farm loan waiver scheme and lifting ban on recruitment went off peacefully in the Union Territory.

Puducherry and other regions of the Union Territory witnessed hectic trade union activities with a large number of activists including those belonging to the All India Trade Union Congress, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions and the All India Central Council of Trade Unions courting arrest.

The general strike also had the backing of the Left parties. Among the arrested leaders were legislators of the Communist Party of India R.Viswanathan and N.Kalainathan, State committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) T. Murugan, Puducherry CPI (M) secretary V. Perumal and territorial unit secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) S. Balasubramanian.

Apart from the trade union activists, members of women, youth and farmers’ associations owing allegiance to the Left parties also participated in the picketing and road-roko at different places.

Thin attendance was reported in the public sector banks, Life Insurance Corporation and State and Central government offices as many employees supporting the general strike stayed away from work.

The bank employees owing allegiance to the All India Bank Employees Association and the Bank Employees Federation of India had extended support to the general strike opposing “privatisation, consolidation and merger of banks and unrestricted flow of foreign capital in the banking sector.”

Employees belonging to the Confederation of Puducherry State Government Employees’ Associations and the Puducherry State Government Employees Central Federation staged dharna at two different places demanding removal of anomalies in the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Road roko was staged in as many as 20 places in Puducherry and Karaikal regions. The activists courted arrest at Pakkamudayanpattu, Anna Salai, Ajantha Signal, Anglo-French Textile Mill gate, Mettupalayam, Venkatasubba Reddiar statue, Embolam, Ariyankuppam, Kariamanickam, Pathukannu, Kanniyakoil, Tirukkanur, Karaikal and T.R. Pattinam. Rail-roko was staged at Arumbarthapuram.

The strike call did not affect the train and bus services. Only a few autorickshaws were off the roads. However, work in Mettupalayam and Sedarapet industrial estates were hit, trade union sources said.

The police in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts arrested over 3,000 people belonging to the Central trade unions and the Communist parties for staging protests against the Centre’s policies.

They were all released in the evening. While the trade unions claimed that the functioning of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation was partially affected, NLC sources refuted it.CITU members staged a demonstration in front of the Cuddalroe uzhavar sandhai opposing the “anti-labour policies” adopted by the Pioneer Chemicals.

Bank transactions were affected on Wednesday as a section of employees and officers owing allegiance to the All India Bank Employees’ Association and the All India Bank Officers’ Association struck work for a day and staged a demonstration in front of the Indian Bank Circle Office here.

The protestors said that a nationwide general strike was being observed as per the call given by the national convention of trade unions.

They blamed the economic policy of the ruling dispensation for the ills afflicting society.

They charged the government with adopting an “anti-people and anti-labour stance” because of which minimum wages were denied to the labourers, heavy workload was imposed on the staff and the workers in the unorganised sector lacked social security.

Owing to transfer of cultivable lands to non-farming activities, farmers and farm labourers were hit and many had committed suicide.

As regards the banking sector, the government had initiated measures that would hasten privatisation.

Towards this end, the public sector banks were made to offload their shares in favour of the private sector.

The protestors opposed the outsourcing system and hiring of workers on a contract basis.

Those who participated in the agitation included AIBEA president Palanikumar, senior leader K. Thirumalai, district secretary P.K.V. Ramani and Bank Employees’ Federation of India president Marudhavanan.

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