CHENNAI: Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami strongly criticised the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK government for increasing various taxes and the power tariff, which have severely impacted powerloom weavers and the lakhs of workers dependent on the sector.

He criticised the government's inaction on the ongoing wage-related strike and urged immediate steps to resolve the issue and protect livelihoods.

Nearly 1.5 lakh power looms are currently in operation across the Coimbatore and Tirupur districts. The owners of these looms earn their livelihood by weaving for wages, and several lakh individuals are directly or indirectly dependent on the sector for their livelihood, said Palaniswami in a statement issued on Thursday.

Palaniswami pointed out that the government has raised power tariffs three times and increased property and business taxes too. Amid this, workers have launched an indefinite strike demanding higher wages.

Though AIADMK legislators from Sulur VP Kandasamy and MLAs from Coimbatore and Tirupur moved a call attention motion in the assembly, the Stalin-led government has taken no concrete steps to end the strike or hold talks with workers and loom owners, he alleged.

Palaniswami called on the government to act swiftly by rolling back the tax and tariff hikes to safeguard the livelihoods of lakhs of workers and their families.