CHENNAI: Police detained multi-purpose health workers and other medical staff on Monday as they attempted to stage a protest demanding permanent employment near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, drawing sharp criticism from Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who accused the State government of placing workers under house arrest to prevent the stir.

The staff had planned to hold a hunger strike under the leadership of Bharathi, state president of the Uzhappor Urimai Iyakkam. However, police reportedly denied permission for the protest.

Speaking to reporters, Bharathi said, “We came here today to stage a hunger strike. However, the police action has turned it into a protest. The State government should fulfil our demand for permanent employment, as we have been working for several years.”

Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly condemned the State government for allegedly placing multi-purpose health workers under house arrest ahead of the planned protest, accusing it of abandoning pre-election promises made to medical staff.

In a social media post, he questioned the “atrocity” of detaining workers at their homes before they could participate in what he described as an unprecedented protest.

Drawing parallels with the detention of youth protesting election irregularities in Delhi, Udhayanidhi asked whether suppressing democratic protests without inviting groups such as farmers, students and nurses for negotiations was what the government meant by “change”.

Describing multi-purpose health workers as the “backbone of medical services”, he demanded their immediate release and urged the “Dummy Chief Minister” to initiate dialogue with the workers and take steps to fulfil their demands.