TN This Week: DYFI’s 10-Day Cycle Rally for Jobs Concludes in Trichy; DMK Marks One Year in Govt

After two long years, May Day rallies were held across Tamil Nadu on May 1. Trade union and Communist party’s red flags were hoisted in workspaces and residential areas in the state.

May 7 marked one year since the DMK came to power and MK Stalin took oath as chief minister. Stalin made many announcements in the state Assembly to mark the day. It included a breakfast scheme for government school students of classes 1 to 5, medical check-ups for school students, and public health centre-like set-ups in urban areas, among others.

On May 4, Stalin informed the Assembly that Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi forwarded the anti-NEET bill to the Union Home Ministry for the President’s assent. The Governor was accused of delaying the bills, which goes against the Constitution of India.

Tamil Nadu’s proposal to send humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was accepted by the Union Ministry of External Affairs on May 1. The neighbouring country is reeling under a severe economic crisis and shortage of essential commodities.

In another accident, in a fireworks manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district, a worker named Solai Vignesh (26) died on May 5.

Tamil Nadu reported 64 fresh COVID-19 cases on May 5, registering a slight rise.

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the happenings this week from Tamil Nadu.

3,000-KM RALLY TO EXPOSE BJP'S FALSE PROMISES

A cycle rally of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), demanding employment for youth, commenced from four corners of the state – Chennai, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and Pondicherry – on April 21 and concluded on May 1 in Trichy.

 DYFI, Tamil Nadu Cycle rally

Members of the federation took out the 3,000 km cycle rally saying they want to expose the anti-youth and anti-people activities of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government. They demanded the government to fill vacancies, create permanent jobs, and protect small business establishments.

They observed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to create two crore jobs every year when he came to power in 2014. Instead, over a crore of small and micro enterprises have closed down due to demonetisation, GST, and COVID-19 lockdowns.

CPI(M)’s STATE-WIDE AGITATIONS FOR LAND RIGHTS

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), protests demanding rights over land were held in the district headquarters on May 6. They submitted memorandums to government officials with demands to stop the eviction of people residing on poramboke lands.

 CPI(M) march for rights over land. Image courtesy: CPI(M)

People living for several years in the government poramboke (land not enlisted in the land revenue records) lands, dry water bodies, temple lands, and mutt lands sought pattas for these lands for constructing permanent houses. Read more

Meanwhile, the residents of Govindasamy Nagar, near Buckingham Canal in Chennai, protested against the razing of their homes using bulldozers without providing proper alternative arrangements.

AGAINST SAND MINING IN CAUVERY BASIN

The CPI(M) on May 5 staged a massive protest in front of the Mayiladuthurai District Collector's Office, demanding an end to sand mining from Cauvery and Kollidam rivers in Mayiladuthurai.

 Farmers protest sand mining in Cauvery basin. Image courtesy: P Shanmugam

The Cauvery Delta was declared a protected agricultural zone, but sand mining to a depth of 20 to 30 feet is carried out there. According to the protestors, sand mining destroys the water resources

3 COPS BOOKED FOR CUSTODIAL DEATH

Arun Haldar, the Vice Chairman of the National Commission for SC/ST, inspected the Secretariat Colony Police Station, where a 25-year-old man named Vignesh died due to injuries sustained while in custody. Haldar said, “if Vignesh died after a police beating, you'd have to call it murder".

CCTV visuals had shown that Vignesh was healthy when he was picked up by the Chennai police. He was arrested on April 18, and he died the day after. The post-mortem report details 13 injuries found on the body. In a massive development in the case, three policemen were booked on May 6.

SCHOOL STUDENT DIES AFTER CASTE-CLASH

On April 30, a 17-year-old student died in Tirunelveli following a fight with his schoolmates over one of them sporting a marker of his caste.

The boy, hailing from an OBC community, got into a fight with a junior, a Dalit, during physical training hours because he was wearing a wristband seen as a caste marker. Other students also joined in the fight and attacked him.

CHARAKA OATH TO MEDICAL STUDENTS 

The oath attributed to ancient Sanskrit sage Maharshi Charaka was administered to a batch of new students last week instead of the traditional Hippocratic oath in the Madurai Medical College. The incident sparked a controversy.

Taking strong objection to the change in the oath, the Tamil Nadu government removed the Dean of the college Dr Rathinavel from his post on May 1. However, he was reinstated.

‘CONDUCT RAILWAY EXAMS IN THE SOUTH’

The workers of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) on May 5 staged a protest at Chennai Central railway station against the central government for conducting exams for posts in Southern railways in North India.