Stalin, Vaiko and TNCC chief court arrest in city

Stalin, who was detained for blocking road in his Kolathur constituency, warned of intense protests in the coming days and said the protests would not end and it would be intensified if the ruling AIADMK did not fulfill their demands immediately. 

Among the demands, Stalin who described the marginal reduction in bus fare as “hogwash,” urged the state to withdraw the bus fare completely and drop cases booked against the protesters. The DMK led opposition also urged the state to recall the announcement empowering officials to revise bus fare as and when necessary. 

Talking to media persons before he was escorted by the police, Stalin said that he has come across reports suggesting that the ruling dispensation has hiked bus fare to pay and retain its MLAs. Reports reaching here also suggest that the ruling dispensation was negotiating with private bus operators and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his cabinet colleagues have obtained new bus routes, the LoP alleged, adding that they were ready to move the court with details of the reported benami transactions in the bus fare deals. 

Rebutting the CM’s claim that Rs 900 crore arrears of the DMK regime were cleared by the AIADMK regime, Stalin said, “Truth is when the DMK returned to power in 2006, the AIADMK had an outstanding PF due of Rs 501.56 crore. Transport corporations had accrued a loss of Rs 396 crore when the AIADMK was unseated.” 

Comparing the base bus fare of the DMK and AIADMK regimes, the DMK working president said the all-party meeting of Opposition parties would be convened shortly to discuss the future course of action. 

In Vellore: Meanwhile, a total of 4,200 DMK led opposition members were arrested from 50 places in Vellore district following the road roko agitation against the recent bus fare hike. 

While deputy opposition leader in the Assembly and Katpadi MLA Duraimurugan was arrested from his constituency, MLAs AP Nandakumar (Anaicut) and P Karthikeyan (Vellore) were both arrested in Vellore town. Ranipet MLA R Gandhi, Arcot MLA Eswarappan and Tirupatthur MLA Nallalthambi were arrested in their respective constituencies, according to police. 

The DMK went ahead with the agitation despite the government rolling back the price hike marginally. Duraimurugan told reporters that the reduction amounted to only 5 paise and showed the total absence of brain power in the ruling party to sort out such issues. He also added that Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan revealed the secret understanding his party had with the AIADMK by his wishes to the ruling party for the reduction in hike.