People's Democracy

TAMILNADU

Massive Participation In Picketing Of Central Govt Offices

A K Padmanabhan

MORE than 60,000 volunteers including 20,000 women, led by state and district level leaders of the CPI(M) – among whom included MLAs and MPs – courted arrest in more than 200 centres in Tamilnadu and Puducherri on August 28 as part of the campaign called by the Party central committee.

Intense campaign was conducted all over the state, from August 16. Hundreds of street corner meetings were held in each district. Padayatras were organised locally and thousands of hand bills were distributed.

One lakh copies of a booklet, priced at Re 1 detailing the demands was published by the state committee and were sold during the campaign.

This Party-led campaign in the state was preceded by campaigns and struggles by various mass organisations. Kisan Sabha and Agricultural Workers Union had organised a struggle on ‘patta’ distribution for the poor. CITU had organised a court arrest programme. Demands of various sections of working people were taken up in these campaigns in the month of August, all over the state.

On the morning of August 28, state and district leaders led the volunteers in picketing central government offices. N Varadarajan, Party state secretary led the volunteers in Madurai town. He courted arrest along with 1500 others including 300 women.

T K Rangarajan, Party central committee member led the volunteers numbering more than 1000 in Cuddalore. W R Varadarajan, CC member courted arrest in Vellore and in Thiruvallur, U Vasuki, CC member led the picketeers.

In Saidapet, South Chennai, G Ramakrishnan, state secretariat member led more than 500 volunteers. In North Chennai, V Meenakshisundaram, state secretariat member led the picketing in Park Town Post Office. More than 2450 were arrested in 7 centres in South and North Chennai.

Reports from various districts indicate enthusiastic participation of men and women in this court arrest programme.