Chennai: Political leaders on Tuesday urged the state government to give priority to the transport strike and find an amicable solution by negotiating with trade union leaders.
While DMK working president M.K. Stalin and TNCC president S. Thirunavukkarasar issued a joint appeal to the government, MDMK general secretary Vaiko asked Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami to directly intervene in the issue to find a solution.
Stalin and Thirunavukkarasar condemned the operation of buses using inexperienced persons and running private buses. They also flayed oppressive measures by the police and the presence of ruling partymen and top officials like collectors in the bus depots. The government is trying to break the strike instead of ending the strike through negotiations, they said.
The two leaders said around Rs 7,000 crore that should go to the workers had been used in an illegal way and the government had not implemented the court orders relating to the issue. They held the government responsible for the continuance of the transport workers strike for the second day and added that the normal life of the people had been affected and considerable hardships had been caused to them.
Echoing similar views, Vaiko said the government's challenge to operate private buses and running government buses with inexperienced workers is not a proper approach. The total amount of Rs 4,500 crore deducted from the workers should be deposited in the proper accounts.
