Protests continued to erupt against the bus fare hike announced by the State Transport department on Saturday. Several parts of the State including the city witnessed agitations by several college students and student organisations on Tuesday.
Activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) staged a demonstration in front of K.K. Nagar bus depot protesting the bus fare hike. Led by its state secretary Uchi Makali, 100-odd persons participated in the demonstration by shouting slogans against the State government. Police personnel were deployed to avert any untoward incident.
Roads blocked
Protest meetings were held in central and southern districts of the State including Thanjavur, Madurai and Salem. Students of several government arts colleges kept away from classes and participated in protest meetings in Thanjavur and Tiruchi .
In Thanjavur, students of Kunthavai Nacchiyar Government Arts College for Women and Tamilavel Umamaheswaranar Karanthai Arts College staged demonstrations against the fare hike.
Members of the National Federation of Indian Women staged a demonstration near the Railway Junction in Thanjavur with a bullock cart serving as the stage.
In Kumbakonam, students of the Government Arts College staged a road block demanding rollback of the hiked fare. The students however withdrew their stir after Kumbakonam DSP Ganesamurthy held talks with the agitators.
In Thiruvarur, students of Thiru Vi Ka Government Arts College boycotted their classes at Kidaramkondan and vehicular traffic on Thuraiyur-Perambalur Road was hit after a group of students of Bharathidasan University Constituent College, Kurumbalur, staged a road roko.
Protests were also held in Tiruchi district after a group of students of Government Polytechnic College at Thuvakudi staged a demonstration in front of their institution, as did the students of H.H. The Rajah's College in Pudukottai ,who went on a dharna in front of their institution.
Meanwhile in Madurai district, cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who carried out a protest near Periyar bus stand complained that the city police had demanded that they furnish their Aadhaar cards for releasing them.
A. Ramesh, party district council member, said around 175 cadres, including 16 women, were arrested when they staged a road roko in Periyar bus stand.
They were lodged in a marriage hall near Krishnarayar Teppam.
In the evening when they were to be released Inspector N. Duraipandian insisted that Aadhaar cards be produced for address verification for the arrested persons to be released, he added.
Protests were also held in Salem and Namakkal districts on Tuesday. In Salem, members of the Communist Party of India staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate. The students of Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Namakkal boycotted classes and staged an agitation.
Bus passes
The State Transport Department will continue to provide free bus passes for students studying in government schools. In a press release, the department has given the assurance that it will continue the free bus pass scheme for students of government schools and 50% subsidised bus passes for private school students even after the ticket fare hike.
As per data released by the department, a total of 22,66,483 students enrolled in government schools have benefitted from the passes
The department has also started operating 500 additional buses as ordinary services in the State.
