Though public participation was greater than it was in 2019, the agitation was marred by the absence of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, an ally of the Congress, apparently due to its differences with the Congress leadership on various issues. The DMK had also kept away from the recent agitation in support of farmers.
Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Ministers A. Namassivayam, M.O.H.F. Shahjahan, M. Kandasamy, R. Kamalakannan and Malladi Krishna Rao were among those who participated in the agitation.
Among the other prominent leaders were Puducherry MP V. Vaithilingam, Congress MLAs and leaders of the CPI, the CPI(M), the VCK, the CPI (ML) and the MDMK. All-India Congress Committee in-charge for the Union Territory Sanjay Dutt also took part in the protest.
Central forces have been deployed in a large number near the venue and at Raj Nivas. The roads leading to Raj Nivas were barricaded. Morning walkers were compelled to take a detour to the Promenade Beach.
‘Withdraw forces’
Meanwhile, the constituents of Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA), including the Congress, later in the evening passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw Central forces deployed for the agitation.
The resolution passed by the leaders at the venue of agitation said the deployment of Central forces with arms had created panic among the people. The SDA had accepted the request of the District Collector and shifted the venue of protest from Raj Nivas to the designated place.
The deployment of Central forces put a question mark on the efficiency of territorial police in crowd control. The deployment of forces would lead to additional expenditure when the Union Territory was facing financial crisis, the resolution said.