Date:21/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082158740300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Normal life unaffected in Tiruchi

Staff Reporter

— Photo: R. Ashok

For a Cause: Members of CITU and AITUC picketing a road in Tiruchi on Wednesday.

TIRUCHI: The nation-wide strike called by various central trade unions against price rise and labour and economic policies of the Central government was marked by demonstrations and arrest of members of Left-backed trade unions while they indulged in picketing in the city and elsewhere in the district on Wednesday.

Employees of Bank, Insurance, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Postal, Income Tax and Central Excise as well as those working in various State Government departments refrained fromwork in protest to rising inflation and in support of their charter of demands including filling up of vacancies in government and public sector undertakings.

Normal life in the district however remained unaffected as rail and bus services were operated as usual and with shops and business establishments remaining open through the day.

Banking operations in public sector banks, barring Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of India, were completely hit in the district as employees abstained from work. Some of the officers of public sector banks attached to the All India Bank Officers Association also joined the strike, banking sources said here.

Over 2,000 Left-backed Centre of Indian Trade Union and All India Trade Union Congress members were arrested across the district when they indulged in picketing in Tiruchi City, Tiruverambur, Manapparai, Musiri, Thottiyam, Thathaiengarpet, Thuraiyur, Uppiliapuram, Lalgudi, Pullampadi, Mannachanallur and Inamkulathur. All those arrested were released later, the police informed.

Employees of Banks, Life Insurance, General Insurance, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited staged a demonstration near the LIC office here, demanding the government to give up its efforts to privatise BSNL and not to indulge in moves that would affect the banking sector. It also demanded the Centre not to increase Foreign Direct Investment in the insurance sector.

The Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association (TNGEA) sources here, said the participation of revenue officials in the strike was total and a good number of Rural Development, Agriculture, Cooperative and Commercial Taxes Department of officials too joined the strike. Members of the TNGEA staged a demonstration near the Collectorate in support of their demands including controlling the rise in prices of essential commodities and filling up of vacancies in State Government departments.