DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Saturday condemned the arrest of the government employees who were trying to march towards the Secretariat to highlight their demands, saying it was a dangerous trend to suppress democratic protests.
In a statement here, Mr. Stalin said that members of Jactto-Geo had decided to take out rally in support of their demands, including cancellation of the new pension scheme.
“However, the government has extended the time of the committee appointed to study the new pension scheme and another committee constituted to study Seventh Pay Commission.
The government’s action has angered the employees,” Mr. Stalin said.
Suggestion ignored
Though he had raised the issue in the Assembly, the government did not take the suggestion of the Leader of the Opposition seriously. “Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami thinks he can use the police to suppress the protests instead of holding talks with them. It will not augur well for the administration,” Mr. Stalin said. He also wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah for holding a conference to implement the ideas of Quest for Equity.
“The DMK government already implemented some of the salient features of the declarations of the conference,” he said.